The Gangster's Girl
by balletboots
Summary: His hand sat possessively on my hip, one of those careless smiles on his lips, staking a claim on my flesh. In those moments, I was fairly certain he was a normal, good guy- but even our four year old niece knew what he really was... a criminal, a thug, a no-good gangster. I will never be able to thaw his ice cold heart, but I've become the gangster's girl and there's no way out.
1. Detroit, MI

"I know what you've heard of him, and it probably didn't win him any points with you… but, Bella, you have to believe the words that come from my mouth." Rosalie looked at me with small slits of blue from behind her large sunglasses. "He isn't half as bad as they make him out to be; sure, he went to prison over some false allegations-"

"They were true!" I interjected angrily. How dare my best friend go against me on this? She knew how much I loved my little Lana- what would she have done if this was her son, Marco? "Rosalie, he _murdered_ people! _And sold drugs._" The last piece of my testimony was one of those "you can't really deny it" points. Drug distribution was seriously getting out of hand here in Chicago; everyone was a pusher these days. I rubbed my bare lips with a dry napkin, licking them in habit as she stared over at me.

Rosie had it pretty easy these days… she started out as a dancer over at _Sugar Daddy's, _met the man of "her dreams", and had one rushed marriage a few months before an unexpected pregnancy. I loved Rose, I really did, but some of her life decisions made me seriously question her plans for the future. She now had a four year old son with one of the dirtiest crime lords out there- Royce King. His name made my skin crawl. "Firstly, he was not charged with drug distribution- it was cultivation." Rose pointed out aimlessly, a cheek full of lettuce in her mouth as she spoke. "Secondly," she swallowed quickly, "he did _not_ murder anyone, as you so dramatically put it. It was involuntary manslaughter- the guy was at the wrong place at the wrong time. There were witnesses that gave the same story."

The blonde bombshell sitting across the restaurant's table shrugged as she dug in her plate once more- how much was she eating these days? Her appetite had never been so large in the last six years that I knew her. "Thirdly, all other charges drug and murder related were dropped from lack of proper witness and evidence. The poor guy served his two years in prison for _accidentally_ aiding in a man's _accidental_ death, justice is served! Just how you like it." The snooty tone that crept into her voice made me itch with renewed anger- why had all of our lunches turned into this same argument? It wasn't even fun stepping away from my hectic life anymore, just to be bickered and bitched at for a good hour or so by a woman I used to know like the back of my hand.

I rolled my eyes. "Doesn't matter, Rosie. He's a bad man and I don't want him around my Lana." That was point blank period, I didn't like him and neither would Lana. I would do my damned best to make sure she didn't have to know the terror of her biological father's family. No matter what Rosalie thought was good for me.

Instead of a fiery reply like I expected, she averted her eyes down to her plate in silence. I finished my small steak and called for the check not soon after. "Technically," Rose took a tiny sip of mineral water, "she's his Lana, too."

At her stupid comment, I slammed my fist against the shabbily decorated table and locked eyes with her. I had always been the less beautiful, smart-ass Swan sister and that was what I thought I was going to die being known for. But when my older sister showed up with Lana at my doorstep thirty-six short months ago, I found the true calling- I figured out just what I was suppose to do with the rest of my life. Elizabeth wasn't the best parental figure, and I often had to step in and play mother- I was shitty at first, but I found my middle ground and tried to at least get the hang of it. But I would learn, at least for Lana's sake. "Edward doesn't deserve to even know her name." I hissed.

Rose pursed her lips at my comment and sat back in her iron chair, seemingly unaffected by my little outburst. "How would you like it if someone was keeping your family away from you? All he wants is a sit-down, Bella, that's it." A sit-down? I suddenly wanted to grab all of the silver forks on the table and stab her until these ridiculous ideas completely left her brain.

"A sit-down? I'm not some gangster, I don't go to "sit downs"." I made air quotes with my fingers just to irritate her. Rose wrinkled her nose at what I knew would piss her off, but I didn't stop there. "Edward Cullen is a sadistic, _cruel_, heartless, horrible monster that I can't even call a man!" I wanted to remind her about my sister Liz, about how paranoid and fearful he made her. Hell, he threatened to kill my baby niece when she was just a few days old! I promised myself that if I ever came face to face with the evil man that threatened my baby's life… I would choke the very last breath out of him. "Just look at how he ruined Liz's life! Isn't that enough proof for you? Jesus, are you even on my side anymore?" I cried angrily.

"I will always be on your side, Bella!" She bit back. "But you're not thinking right! Lana needs to know her dad and her uncle, and you are in dire need of help… there's no more money, you don't have anything! You won't take any of my offerings; just at least _consider_ what Edward wants to give you. He can be the way your ends meet." Just how much had her and this Edward monster been talking? She seemed to know so much about what he could offer!

And as far as Lana's father went… I refused to even say that disgusting prick's name out loud.

"And be bullied into a relationship and marriage like you, Rosalie?" I snapped without truly considering my words. That definitely struck a cord with my best friend, or at least what I hoped was still my friend after this conversation, as she pulled a fifty from her wallet and collected her things. "Rosie, I'm sorry! I didn't mean it-" I grit my teeth against the sinking feeling that I had gone just too far with that one. But she got me so darn angry! What else was I suppose to do? She knew how I felt about her husband… I hated his guts! But never before had I ever questioned the validity or gentility of their marriage or bond. I only assumed Royce King was the type of man that was incapable of love, even if he had landed himself the prettiest Hale in the state of Illinois.

"Shut the fuck up already, Bella!" The lady her mother tried to teach her to be shined through as she kept her voice down in the public place. Her face was scarily close to mine as she leaned down and got in my face. "If you want to ruin Lana's life by dragging her through the streets homeless, _do it_. But you will have to live with the guilt that her other family _did_ try to reach out to you, and when an older Lana wants to know why you never gave him a chance you'll just have to face the fact that you were a twenty-three year old brat with a knack for taking low blows. And you'll only be able to blame yourself for having no one else to turn to."

Rosalie's words stung far more than they should have, but I couldn't stop the budding tears that formed at the inner creases of my eyelids; I was being selfish, but I was scared, too! I was scared Edward would take her away from me forever, and she was only four as of now- he could steal her and she would never even remember my name. It scared the shit out of me to think that way, but I was never one to ignore a valid point just because it frightened me. That was the kind of behavior expected out of Liz, not me. I was the responsible, sensible one every time. Her heels clacked loudly as she walked away, long gone from the cozy little restaurant when I slowly began to realize my sudden faults. I was just so damn frightened to do anything- my life would truly mean nothing if I didn't have Lana to love and take care of.

Once the stuffy waiter picked up Rosalie's money to cover our cost, I grabbed my things and made my way to the beat up hoopty I was currently attached to. It was a two door piece of shit, but most times it took me from point A to point B. As a calming exercise, I rolled my neck from side to side in order to relieve a small portion of the stress and tension left over. I knew what I had to, what was right to do… but there was no way in hell I would just hand her over. If this Edward Cullen was as gracious and befitting as Rose made him out to be, he could be easily manipulated and maybe even juked. Not that I was the manipulating or juking type- but I would be whatever the hell I had to be in order to protect my niece. At a red light, I pulled my cell phone from my pocket and looked down at it- I was the type of person that felt almost instantaneous guilt after doing something horrible. A very large part of me wanted to call Rosie right then and there, but even I knew it was too soon. She was pissed at me! Not that I would feel any different if I were in her position, but couldn't she cut me some slack already?

It was hard to admit that I wasn't enough for Lana, that I wasn't good enough to be her mom. Maybe it was wrong of me to accept this responsibility from my older sister? But it wasn't like I was going to tell her no, she knew that. Liz knew that I could never tell her 'no' and I would never decline a good challenge. Motherhood seemed simple enough a few years ago; before I knew what teething, diaper rashes, and incurable fussiness meant. When I was still young and happily naïve, raising Lana seemed like something easy enough to be a cakewalk. I had no idea how stressful and financially draining it could be. But as I looked down at my cell phone and saw her face as my wallpaper, an involuntary smile graced my grim face. I would do it all over again, no matter the way it changed my life drastically.

As soon as I walked through the door, a slim body with platinum blonde hair shot up from the couch. "Where were you? You know I have to be at work early today! Jesus, Bella, it's like you don't _care_ about me." Elizabeth screamed at me, flinging an accusing finger at me. "You knew Vic would fire me if I was late one more time! Maybe that's exactly what you wanted?" One would think I would be used to the severe mood swings when it came to my sister, but she was truly a character you could never get used to.

She was a real bitch, too. "Calm down, Lizzy, you're scaring the shit outta her." I hissed, pointing in the direction of her young daughter. Elizabeth was pretty, with a nice body and a horrible attitude to match. When she got knocked up at the ripe age of twenty by a man she knew better than to break the news to, she came to her only other option. I was that option, seeing as our parents weren't the most compassionate people when it came to problems and strays. "I was out…" if I said, 'I had lunch with my one friend you hate and we were talking about the man you hate and now I'm considering taking help from the family that hates you' she would surely throw something at me, so I chose my words wisely, "doing something really important. Sorry for making you a few minutes late, but it's not like you let me know your work schedule or anything."

Liz scoffed at me with that stupid bitch face she was fond of making. "And what do you do, exactly? You wait tables at some stupid restaurant five days a week, read the same three books over and over again, and spend your weekends on the couch or at work! I'm sorry if I like to go out and have fun, but it takes _money_ to have _fun_. And I need to _work_ in order to make _money_." She was talking down on me like a parent would a five year old, causing a watery burning sensation to happen behind my eyeballs.

Was I going to cry in front of her? No, I would never cry in front of Elizabeth. She didn't deserve that much. "Yeah well with all that money you seem to be making, me and Lana never see a penny of it." This was a sore topic in the Swan household just as much now as it had been back when we lived with Charles and Rene… Liz was a lot like our dad- money hungry, angry at the world, caring only for themselves. It wasn't a wonder why they hated each other so much, it was probably like looking in the mirror.

"Oh, really?" She concentrated long and hard to force out those treacherous crocodile tears that fooled mom and dad, but I wasn't having it.

"Stop fake crying and grow up already! I've done my best to help you Liz, but you treat me like shit-" I threw my hands up in the air in expiration.

"You're just jealous of me and my life." Liz's voice grew deadly quiet as she stepped closer to me. This wouldn't be the first altercation that turned physical, that was just the way we got messages through to each other, but I didn't want to do any of this in front of Lana. And what could I possibly be jealous of? Just because she had a pretty face and slept with ball players and mobsters alike didn't make her something great. I walked towards a shaking Lana, sending her a reassuring smile before picking her up in my arms and heading towards my bedroom. But Liz crossed my direction, throwing herself in front of my door. "Where are you taking _my_ daughter?"

I sent her a perturbed look before pocketing my cell phone and keys. "Don't be so melodramatic, Liz, I'm gonna take her for ice cream. You act like I don't have her seventy percent of the time anyway." I rolled my eyes when Liz squeezed out some more tears, crossing her arms in a bratty way.

"I'm sorry if I'm the prettier, more gifted Swan sister- I'm sorry that I have a beautiful daughter that belongs to an important family." _Yeah, that you're dead afraid of_, I wanted to add. "And I'm sorry if your jealousy of my life gets in the way of living your own." Really, Liz could make anyone's head spin with the sort of bullshit she spoke. Like always, I shrugged it off and turned my back on her many other less menacing insults. They were the same every time, yet they slashed a new hole each and every time. I _used_ to have a life, I _used_ to have a throng of pals to waste weekends with, I _used_ to go on dates- but when Lana started growing up, she needed more attention than Liz could give her.

I gave up my freedom for her, and I could never regret that. "I'm scared." Lana cried into my shoulder, completely soaking the thin material of my top; if only Liz cared as much about Lana as I did… things would have ended up so different.

"Don't be, you're with Aunnie." I smiled serenely at the treasure currently clung to my shoulders and torso- my name turned into "Aunnie" once she started speaking, seeing as my longest and deepest conversations started and ended with her. Did she even realize my name was Bella? Elizabeth hardly ever spoke my name, seeing as our conversations never lasted longer than a few minutes max. Since childhood, our close age distance made us complete rivals in everything we did; my parents never did anything to tame the raging fire between us, if anything they encouraged it. I took us to our favorite ice cream spot just up the street from the shitty excuse for an apartment complex I lived in. Liz was currently squatting with some friends in a "breath-taking skyscraper apartment building, not to mention it's on the fifteenth floor", though I doubted that would last very long. And no matter how hard or long I begged she would never let Lana _actually_ with me.

But to keep the peace, I would digress. Though my niece wasn't out of my sight for very long, Liz did occasionally disappear for days on end with her "friends" and it scared the shit out of me- the troupe of friends she had were brash, irresponsible, rude girls not yet breached into adulthood. They were an alright clan of girls back when we were younger, but Elizabeth refused to believe that we were adults with actual responsibility these days. I shook my head to dispel myself of those saddening and thoughts and looked over at Lana instead, whom was currently stuffing her face. She understood me, and she was but four years old! Sometimes I wondered how a moron like Liz could ever create such a charming, intelligent daughter- and it couldn't possibly come from the father's side! They were greasy criminals who deserved to be in jail for eternity.

I shivered in my thin coat and hugged Lana to me, simply enjoying the sounds of the ice cream parlor's outdoor seating. We were okay, if only for now.

That was enough for me.


	2. Pretty Girl

A/N: Hmm, my readers are probably the BEST on the planet! You guys are my greatest support system.

I drummed my fingers along the cheap wooden table that sat solitary in the dank area of my kitchen/dining room/entrance; it had been three very long days since I had seen or heard of my sister and my niece along with her. We never went more than two days without seeing each other, and I was always bugging her about talking to Lana on the daily. This _never _happened and we had been in plenty worse arguments than the row we had a few days earlier. What if something bad happened to them? Did someone kidnap my niece? Did Liz overdose in the bathroom or get stranded at some party, leaving Lana to fin for herself? If someone had even laid a single finger on my niece- I angrily swatted a rolling tear off of my cheek at the thought of it. I swore to God that if I saw Liz in the flesh within the next hour I was going to strangle her with my very own hands! What was she thinking, putting her daughter in the front row of her wild lifestyle like that? Liz never cooked nor cleaned a day in her life- did that mean Lana was starving and dirty, scared out of her mind somewhere? With a few repetitions of breathing exercises, I picked up my cell phone again and tried redialing her number for the twentieth time that day. Still no answer, though why I had expected a miracle was beyond me. Liz knew I loved her death, so why was she trying to torture me so?

I angrily kicked at the table, which made very little movement at all, in frustration at myself. This was my fault, _I _drove her way! The topic of Liz wasting away every one of her paychecks was a sore subject that drove a wedge deeper and deeper between us every time it was brought up. But _dammit_, when did she plan on stepping up to the plate of motherhood? I had helped in silence for four long years; she needed to start doing something! Never mind getting CPS or any social service involved- Liz warned me long ago that I'd never so much as breath the same air as Lana if I pulled something like that.

"Shit!" I screamed at myself, not knowing what the hell to do next. I couldn't report her missing; I wasn't her mom or dad and the cops wouldn't even give me a second look. And I couldn't go to my parents; they preferred to stay out of "matters that involve you and your sister, because we wanna stay neutral" which was total bullshit. They stayed out of it because they were afraid Lizzy would get mad at them and never speak another word in their direction. They didn't care about me half as much as they did her.

With a new resolve, I locked my apartment up and jumped in my car to the only place I could think of- she had been squatting her friend's ritzy ghetto, hadn't she? Surely that was where she was hiding my niece? It was just minutes over the Grafton Bridge and a few side streets away, and I was right smack dab in the middle of Downtown Detroit, where lots of different walks of life stayed. Bums were on the streets, dope boys were in the allies on the corners, and the rest of civilization packed themselves into tiny little apartments in twenty story complexes- it was pricier than my humble dwelling, but in a much worse neighborhood. But it was just like Elizabeth to do something like this- just because it was pretty on the outside and right in the middle of the action, she figured it was the perfect place to raise Lana for a few weeks. I stuffed my hands in the pockets of my blue jeans and walked right up to the dozing doorman, who shot straight up with feigned assertiveness at my closer footsteps. "Are you a resident or a guest?"

Were all doormen this snotty? I took a quick peek at my attire- jeans, a long sweater, and old sneakers, but how could he judge when he was the one wearing a ridiculous uniform like that? "Uh, maybe a guest? Look, I just wanna see my niece-" I pleaded with my eyes, hoping he would just be a pal.

"Is a resident expecting you?" His dignified mustache completed the ridiculous look he was going for, but I wasn't feeling the way he was cutting me off.

"No, but-" I brought my hands out of my pockets to show him that I was harmless.

"Then I am going to have to ask you to leave," Came his stubborn reply.

"You don't get it, sir; it's my sister- she lives here! I haven't heard from her and I'm really worried!" I only was only half lying, seeing as I _was_ worried that my sister had died and left Lana all alone but whether or not she died on her own was none of my concern.

He sighed in irritation and blocked the sliding the door that I instinctively went for. "I _will_ call the police if you don't leave this instant…" but his voice died out of my focus when I saw the elevator doors open through the clear door- the wicked witch stepped out of the shaft with a man beside her, flirtatious smile and bran new outfit on. I shouted from outside loud enough to gain her attention, because in the next instant she was pointing frantically at me with a look of practiced fear. What was she saying to him? I didn't doubt he was one of the many boyfriends she claimed to love so much. When he came striding to the sliding door with a look of anger on his face, I took an instinctive step back. "Mr. Black, I apologize! I was just about to call the authorities myself." The doorman quipped, eager to please his master.

"No need- I am capable of throwing the trash out myself." He grabbed my arm roughly, hard enough to leave bruises, and yanked me down the street towards the parking meters. "Stay away from my fiancé, you lunatic! She's told me all about you- seriously, get yourself a life, you stupid cunt!" My ears burned at the nasty word he associated with me- just what had she told him about me?

"_Fiancé_?" I asked in disbelief. How on Earth could she have been engaged to a man and not told me? And why hadn't Lana ever brought up meeting the future husband of her mother? She always told me about everything else that happened when we weren't together.

"Yes, I'm marrying your ex-girlfriend. Get over it, you lunatic, she loves _me_!" He threw me angrily against the next building, which was a down-and-out dry cleaning service my parents used once upon a time, his dark skinned hands chapped against my softer skin.

"She's _not_ my ex-girlfriend!" I spat out angrily. "She's my sister, and she has my niece holed up in that building-" Black slammed my face against the red stone building, hard enough to break skin upon contact, and got all in my personal space.

"She lives here with me, and I know you're lying, little cunt." _There_, he said that vomit-inducing word again! "_Liza _has no children, she's barren- but you knew that, didn't you?" Black thrust my face against the wall once more for good measure. I cried out in agony, but the doorman simply looked the other way and pretended he didn't see what was going on. "But you just couldn't help yourself, am I right? You had to come here with insensitive lies and ruin her happiness, after all of those years you tortured her!" I fought against his hold on me, elbowing and digging my fingers into every piece of flesh I could. I scoffed at his stupidity- Liz was more fertile than a bitch in heat, and her countless abortions since the age of eighteen proved it. She hated children, not the other way around. All of the distasteful lies she had been feeding him… how long was this going on? But I didn't sympathize for him one bit. He was digging his own hole for himself, and he would pay for doing this to me. One way or another, he would get everything he deserved. "I'll only warn you this once- stay out of Liza's life and stay away from my home!" With that he finally let go of me, but the damage was done. He left without even a second glance- I was left standing there, slumped against the wall and watched as he so gallantly escorted her out of the building as though she were precious cargo. Before he stuffed her into the car, she chanced a look back at me and for once in my life I saw remorse in her eyes. Those eyes that had watched me get beat in grade school by a pack of her own friends, eyes that smiled when she witnessed me being punished by our parents for misdeeds _she_ had done, blue pits of hate that widened with happiness when I slipped on that icy sidewalk, ending all chances of ever having an equilibrium to dance.

As he urged her into the awaiting car, she snapped back to being carefree Liza and smiled back at him- that was the last time I ever saw my sister feel even just a little bad for me. I was now even more determined to get Lana out of there, witnessing how manhandling he was. But I knew better than to try to go back to that doorman- if I was arrested and somehow charges were pressed against me by my sister and her 'fiancée', Lana would have no one to help her. So I got back in my car and went to the one place I knew I could always go when I was in trouble.

"_Who_ did this to you? Tell me, Bella!" Rosalie's voice was one of pure hatred.

I snatched my face away from her grip and wiped a tear away, not wanting things to happen like this. I came here to get help, not pity. Though I wasn't sure she was even going to let me in after our last conversation, she heard the hysteria in my voice and buzzed me right in with no other words. The condominium she lived in her with husband was much nicer and more heavily guarded than Liz's, but I knew I would always be welcomed here. "I can't talk about it." I repeated myself once more, this time with less agony in my voice. She didn't need to get involved with something like this, I only needed her assistance in one manner and it wasn't consoling words. "You know I would never come to you if I didn't absolutely need it, but these are desperate times. Please, Rosalie." I was begging her, yes, and I wasn't proud of it. But no one could possibly understand the sort of trauma that losing a loved one puts someone through- I didn't wanna find out.

"Ya boyfriend do that to ya?" King's unmistakable draw came from the open door of Rosie's bathroom, but it wasn't mocking as I assumed it would be. I shook my head, not even sparing him a look. "Ya sure?" Why did he even care? I wanted to send a scathing remark towards him but fought against it- I knew how much he controlled my best friend, it wouldn't do me any good if he sent right out of his house. "Look, kid, no one's bigga than me on this side uh the tracks- so tell me whos messed you up and we can work somethin' out, the three of us." My eyes stung at the sincerity in his voice, but I fought back the urge to accept any deal he was offering. Royce King wasn't someone I liked to associate myself with, even if his wife was my best friend. I came here to see Rosie, not make a deal with the mob.

"Did Michael do this to you?" Her hands were on my tender face again, those colorful acrylic nails scraping tenderly over my cheekbones. Michael Newton was a boring square that lived on the other side of town with his ageing mother, in the Bluffs of Detroit where he often tried to take me. I dated him because unlike my sister, I only ever dated bores because they were safe. They never expected more than I could give them, they understood my need for space, and they never argued with me about anything- Lizzy had always gone for the dangerous, irresponsible criminals. How had that worked out for her? Oh yeah, a baby whose dad didn't even sign her birth certificate! Michael would never hurt me, but he could never love me either.

He had this crazy idea that Liz would magically grow up one day and take care of her responsibilities so that he could sweep me off my feet and run away with me- but even I knew that something large like that would never happen. And I couldn't imagine a life without my little twin following me around, either. "No, Rosie, he doesn't even know where I'm at right now." I swallowed nervously. "It's about Lana-"

"What's wrong? Is she okay?" Rosie's chest heaved up and down in panic, looking almost as scared as I was just earlier. But I wasn't so much as scared as I was plainly pissed the fuck off now.

"That's the thing, I don't know! Liz took off a few days ago and when I tried to hit one of the spots she's known to stay…" All words left me, seeing as I couldn't necessarily give her a play-by-play of what went down.

"She sicked a goon on you." King finished for me, a solemn look on his face. I nodded in acceptance of his rather simple rendition of it, though there was so much more to fill in. That could be saved for another time. "So, whatcha come here for exactly?" He already knew what I came here for, but he wasn't going to let me have it so easily. I would rather owe Rosalie a million favors than owe him just _one_.

I took a deep breath and looked at him solidly, for the first time in the few years I had known him, and blinked only once. "I want some muscle, anyone at all. I'll even take Vinny with me-"

King shook his head immediately. "No, he's good at this," he gestured to his knuckles, "but he has none of this," King pointed an index finger at his temple, gesturing to his own pea-shaped brain.

"_No_." I growled angrily. "I have enough brains for the both of us!"

"That right?" King chuckled condescendingly, one hand through his hair and the other on his lower hip. "So much brains and ya still showed up to ya sister's pad with no goon of ya own?" I ground my teeth together in a fizzled manner, but said nothing as he looked me over. "I gotta friend, someone you mighta heard of. Edward Cullen, but we call 'em _Jefe_." The thick accent of his first language rolled off his tongue at the last word, which sounded more along the lines of 'eff-eh'. "Ya girl's his niece, _que no_?" My eyes snapped to Rosalie in unadulterated rage, but she looked just as confused as I was. Did Royce make her set-up the lunch to promote his friend? If so, I swore on my mother's life to never speak to Rosalie for the rest of eternity. "In our set, we got rules- _familia premieria, todo secondoria_."

"Family first, everything else second." Rosie translated quietly for me. I grew up enough in the hood to understand that 'set' meant gang, though it was a miracle he was saying even this to me. Usually men like him kept their silence until the end of time. "Bella, go to him! He can help you- he _has_ to help, it's the rules." She pleaded, getting down her knees to meet my eye-level.

"I don't have time to try and track him down for help- anything could be happening to Lana right now! And what if I waste all day trying to get a hold of him and he doesn't want anything to do with her now? And what if he takes her away-" My voice grew heavy with tears when I realized just what I was faced with. King respected Cullen too much to impose on his indirect family problems, and Rosalie couldn't necessarily make one of King's men do something their boss told them not to do. Why hadn't I just lied and said it was a boyfriend problem? Everything would have gone to plan if I just knew how to lie!

Royce King stepped forward, pointing a large finger at me. "_Jefe_ is a standup guy- he will help you. _Jefe_ made the rule up, he lives by it. But ya can't get a hold of 'em so easy today." He and Rosie shared knowing looks. "Havin' a birthday party down at Finnegan's," I contained an eye roll at the mention of that bar- how many times did Rosie and I get kicked out of that place for fighting and plain old bad luck? "Our invite's a plus two if you wanna tag along." I turned to glare at Rosie, whose face was pale as a ghost. Why hadn't she mentioned she was going to celebrate that monster's _birthday_? Of all parties she had to attend this year, she didn't think to mention it to me? Word always got around, and celebrations like that either ended up in a fight or someone getting so pissed-face that they never made it home. Why even go?

"It will be the perfect opportunity for you to meet him, Bella." Rosalie urged. "There will be a room full of people, so you don't have to worry about getting hurt. And plus, he'll be in good spirits."

"Firstly, I already told you I don't want anything to do with that asshole." I ignored the growl King made in the back of his throat. "Secondly, who wants to hear news like that on their _birthday_?"

King kicked off from the wall of the large bathroom and turned around as if to leave, but not before regarding me with one last look. "If you love the baby girl, you'll go." I couldn't argue with logic like that, because I promised myself since the day I met her that I would do anything to ensure her safety and happiness.

When King said Cullen was having the party down at Finnegan's, I assumed Cullen rented out a VIP room or maybe even booth- it was my group of friends did most of the time. But when we pulled up and a little pizza-faced boy handed us a valet ticket, I began to see the big picture. Rosie smiled at my awe-struck face, if only for a second or so, before turning back around and latching onto her husband's arm like the good moll she knew how to be. Numerous people stopped us in hopes of striking a conversation with Royce, but he kept it moving and paid very little attention to everything else around us. "He really did go all out!" Rosie giggled loudly when waiters with mock police uniforms passed by us. It seemed the party decorations were law-themed, which was one awful case of fucked up irony if anyone asked my opinion. "You want a party like this for your big forty, sweetie?" She touched at his thinning head of black hair playfully.

"Ain't it sick?" Vin, a man that I knew from childhood, spoke up from beside me. I sent him a tiny quirk of lips before turning back to my mission- as soon as I saw Cullen, I would make a mad dash to him and beg that he bring Lana back to me. No matter how desperate or weird I came off, it was my only plan. "Ain't that the birthday boy ova' there?" Vinny pointed out someone so tall, and so regal-looking that I almost told him to shut up- Vin was never the brightest and never would be. But when King nodded in glee and led our group to his corner booth, my heart started pounding in my chest. Even from afar he looked semi-familiar, though the dim lighting of the club helped me none, I couldn't put my finger on it. It wasn't until we were standing a few feet away, now blocked by two very hefty goons that I started to realize who we were dealing with. Not even King hired body guards when we went out- who did this guy think he was, the Prince of Netherlands? I suppose I was standing too close, trying to get a good look at him, when one guard grabbed my elbow sternly and demanded that I step away. My entire left side was still bruised and sore, though Rosalie did an excellent job when it came to covering my bruised left cheek, and so I yelped out in pain. "Ay! Let 'er go, you fuckin' dick!" Vinny pulled on my other arm before shoving at one guard, whom was twice Vin's size.

It was almost flattering, had I not been so preoccupied with other matters of my life. The guard helmed Vinny by his collar, to which King stepped up and asserted himself. "Ay, ay, ay! That's one of my guys-" The tone King was taking was one I had heard plenty of other times, which was usually followed by a punch thrown or a gun withdrawn. Rosalie put a sour pout on, obviously knowing where this was going.

I stepped in and put out a cautious hand, trying to stop whatever was going to happen before it did. "Hey, it's alright! _Caveman_ here didn't hurt me-" I gestured to the guard, "he just got a sore spot. We're good, alright?" I pointedly looked at King and Vinny, just to make sure they weren't planning on doing something stupid like _reacting_. Plus, I wasn't exactly in a rowdy type of mood, at least not with these assholes- my breath-constricting black dress and bedazzled heels didn't scream "I'm a fighter" to anyone.

"Yeah, we're _good_." The way Royce King said it made me cringe- when anybody used that tone of voice, you knew it wasn't 'good'. Not even close.

"What the prob- King, you son-of-a-bitch!" The Adonis rushed between his croons and lit the room up with his smile. "Didn't think you were gonna make it, you old fucker!" King embraced the body that emerged from behind the guards, but I was too struck to make the move I planned on. He was, in simple words, just _sexy_. From his tousled bronze hair to his pretty green eyes (yes, they were _pretty_) even down to the way he wore his street clothes and made them look couture, he was kinda perfect. And when the smile that lit up his face at seeing an old friend in Rosie and King turned on me, I was near breathless; he advanced towards me and I was quick to turn my raw cheek away from him, but he either didn't notice it or plainly ignored it, kissing my hand softly instead. "Pleasure to meet you, pretty girl." My cheeks caught on fire at his simple little statement, which should have been more of an insult than anything else- I was a twenty-two year old woman, not a girl! But every last fight went out the window when he invited us to sit with him at his booth, my hand still in his. Shouldn't I have yanked myself away and collected my thoughts? This was Edward Cullen, monster in the flesh! I shouldn't have thought he was beautiful or sexy or charismatic…

He further won brownie points with me when he shooed the two girls away from his table, which he had just been entertaining a minute ago. "Don't stop celebrating on our behalf." I gestured to the retreating forms of scantily-clad girls, suddenly despising the strangers for no reason. Was I _jealous_? Over what exactly? I didn't even know this man well enough to be jealous over something trivial like entertaining two hookers on his birthday. Rosie sent me a discreet smile, as though she could read my mind or something. "You looked like you were enjoyin' yourself." I couldn't help but let the Detroit come out in my voice, though it was something I fought hard against most of the time. No one in the real world took you serious when you spoke like you had no education.

Cullen let out a bark of laughter, clutching my hand tighter to his. "Nah, let 'em walk off! I found something better to spend my time on." He looked right at me, which struck a nervous cord- how was he able to look at someone like that, with no shyness or doubt? I blushed deeper red at his words and snatched my hand away, scooting closer to Vinny.

"Yeah well, unlike them you can't rent _me_ by the hour." I seethed. I would have said anything to put distance between the two of us. He was gorgeous; did he really need to buy love like that? He could have had any girl in this room and all he had to do was look at one of 'em!

He didn't look away from my face, even when the bottle service rep came by the table for her hourly duty- he simply flicked his wrist and made her go away. "Alright, you got my attention, _bonita_." I grit my teeth against his pet name for me. _Bonita_, really? Even if he did think I was beautiful, I didn't care! I was here for Lana, not to get laid. But when his attentive words were only met with a cold look of mine in response, his jaw worked in the beginning signs of irritation. So I was getting under his skin? Good. "You know me from somewhere or somethin'?"

Before I could open my mouth, Rosie hopped in. "Jefe, she's-" She shut up quicker than even King could make her with just one raised hand of Edward's.

"I wanna hear _bonita_, not you, Rosie." Edward hissed.

"Don't talk to her like that!" I hissed back.

"Who you think you are, pretty girl? Some gangsta's over-privileged daughter- maybe, _oh _maybe, your _white_ skin makes you think you can come to someone's party and act like you own the place." His darker hand slid over my arm and even went to up to my chin, resting there like he owned every part of my body. I wanted to go in on him, but I bit my lip to contain the hateful words. If I wanted him to help me, I needed him to be cooperative and willing. Arguing and causing bad blood wasn't going to do the trick.

He expected me to try and rip him a new asshole, so when I whispered into the space above his ear, I felt his body visibly go rigid. Did he perhaps feel the same unnatural allure to me as I felt to him? _No way, you're just some plain-looking girl in a pretty dress_, I scolded myself. _And you're not here for his attention, remember? Or has those emerald eyes and that very fit physique already fooled you? _"I need help." It was not a sultry or seductive whisper, it was actually quite neutral compared to the waves of anxiety I was feeling. When I placed myself back up against Vinny, his eyes snapped to the space our bodies made contact at just moments before. I was never attracted physically nor spiritually to Vin, and the same went for him- but the way Edward was looking at us now, it was as if he hated the very breath Vinny took for sitting by me. He took a long drink and nodded to King assertively, as if dismissing him, and for the first time in my life I saw Royce shoot up and escort both Rosie and Vin along with him.

This guy had balls if he thought nodding would make King go away, but he _did_. It was so insane to watch. "So what kinda help you looking for, _bonita_?" Edward was straight to the point as he leaned in closer to me, one hand holding his drink and the other caressing different parts of my face. I did my best to keep the ugly part hidden, though it wasn't easy when he was trying to map out my face with his fingers.

"The name's _Bella_." I started off roughly, not liking his term of endearment one bit. "And we have something in common." His green eyes darted to mine with a certain grace of God, begging me to say something in particular. I had no idea what it was he wanted to hear, and besides I wasn't in the business of going out of my way to please gangsters.

"Oh, yeah? And what's that?" His index finger traced its way down my arm, covered with my hair, before applying minimal pressure- I squealed in protest and wrenched the offending arm away from him. Why would he do something like that? Sure any normal person wouldn't have cried out like that, but he _knew_ there was a bruise there, didn't he? "Hard to say, 'cause last time I checked, I don't got a man that beats me like a rag doll." I clenched my hands into fists, waiting for the perfect moment to strike him in the face- of course; it would have to wait until Lana was safe in my arms. Why did everyone assume I was getting beat by my boyfriend? And did he assume Vinny was the abuser? That beautiful idiot couldn't hit a woman if he tried.

"I'm not being abused by my boyfriend- I, uh, _this_ is irrelevant." I gestured to my arm.

"If you ask me, I don't think you got a man at all." His fingers were back to outlining my face as he spoke. "I saw the way you had to defend your little _puto _against Big Mike- not to mention the fact that I all I had to do was nod my head and he ran off like a bitch." If Vin _had_ been my abusive boyfriend, this was definitely not the way to make me see his shortcomings. Edward seemed to be living in an old age where men prevailed triumphant and women wove baskets to gather food. I swallowed nervously when his arm snaked around my waist, bringing me flush up against his larger build. "If _I _was your man, they'd have to move fuckin' mountains to get you away from me." The way his eyes bore into me was enough to make my body turn into jelly- did he do this to every girl? I couldn't have been that special, right? We were strangers, and maybe he had a little too much to drink. But when his lips descended down to meet mine, I did all I could think of and twisted my head away from his direction- his desperate lips instead planted on tender bruise and dried up cut on the side of my face, causing a scream to die in my throat. My body went completely still when his hand came crashing down to my face, and I even flinched to brace myself for whatever he planned on doing.

Instead of slapping or hitting me, he pushed the hair away from my face and studied the mark more closely- it was as if he were trying to memorize every single angle and color that his eyes feasted upon. Did he get some sort of sick pleasure outta this? I blinked up at him, already feeling the tears welling up in my eyes- was he pitying me right now? Was that why he even invited me to stay at the table with him? I couldn't understand just _why _I came off as an abused spouse- was there a certain type of woman that got abused, or something? Was it because I came off weak? "Don't cry." It wasn't poetic or romantic of him, it was just _nice_. For once, it was nice to be talked softly to and regarded as a human being that needed help.

"I'm not." I whispered back indignantly and sniffed rather loudly.

"Tell me who's responsible for this- if not that punk, then who?" He pressed.

"That's not why I came here." I ignored his wandering eyes and fingers, instead trying to focus on the whole reason I followed the Kings here in the first place.

"We can talk about that later, we got all night." Edward planted a tiny kiss on my bruise, so soft that it didn't hurt, and passed a glass of bubbly champagne instead. "First you need to tell me what _this_," he gave it another kiss, "is about."

I was starting to get very frustrated. Now was not the time to be all lovey-dovey over some bruises! "We got a niece, Lana Swan." I shot out, hoping beyond hope that he didn't turn an ungodly shade of green before me.

But he was calm and consistent with his ministrations, never veering off the path. "Yeah, I figured." Edward stated, as though this wasn't the biggest shocker of his life. "And it's Lana Cullen."

I squinted my eyes at him, not liking the pride in his voice. Sure, it was nice that he accepted Lana as a member of his family, but if his stupid brother didn't want to sign the birth certificate, than he didn't deserve to give her his name. "Anyway," I was very proud of myself for letting the argument die for now, "my sister and I have been at odds for awhile now… but I never go more than a day without speaking with, if not seeing Lana." My throat was constricting just thinking about my sweetie pie and all of the bad feelings from earlier rose back up to the surface. "It's now been three days, and no word." I let it hang out there, hoping he'd take the bait and at least be interested.

"From what Erick's told me, it ain't uncommon for your sister to get ghost." Edward bit back, with so much disdain put in that single word. _Yeah well your brother is a maniac that scared her into going missing all those years back_, I wanted to scream back at him. But I could understand his hatred of her; even if it was different reasons than the truth- she kept an entire family from seeing her kid for almost four years now. I got that, I understood the anger. But it wasn't doing us any good.

"Yeah well, fuck Erick!" I said without thinking.

"Fuck Elizabeth!" He sounded just as heated.

Our breaths came in rather short reps, and his hands were gone from my face. We were both wiling to fiercely protect our siblings, even if they were the bottom of the barrel when it came down to ethics. One part of me wanted to punch him, the other part wanted to kiss him. "Look," I held a hand out in frustration, "I didn't come here to fight."

"And why not?" His voice was almost teasing, but the look in his eyes was still fiery. "You'd probably be my greatest contender." I sent him a piqued look of interest. He was an interesting fellow- some things he said sounded like something right off a rap song and in other instances he was acting like an Oxford man of both knowledge and valor.

See, why did he have to say things like that? Even when he was trying to sound neutral, he came off sexy and appealing in every which way! "I think Lizzy has Lana hidden somewhere- I don't know, but I just have this gut feeling." It was probably ridiculous to say, but it was the truth. Something told me that Liz was being a spiteful bitch and took it out on her own daughter, even if I couldn't prove it. "I went to the complex she mentioned she stayed at… and safe to say I wasn't let in." I gestured to my face, causing a light bulb to go off in his head.

"A rent-a-cop did this to you?" His voice was a little uneven, as if trying piece it together without my explanations.

"No, it was her new boyfriend. I don't care about him or what he did to me," I took a deep breath, trying to not think about being shoved against the stone wall, "but I'm worried about Lana. If he can do this to me… I just don't want anything bad to happen to my niece."

Edward stroked his chiseled jaw before finishing his drink and grabbing another one, obviously tossing around different ideas and solutions in his head. "Rosie told me you refused to accept the checks I slipped her each month- and you've had my parent's number for the last two years. Why now? Why come to me and not the Law?" It was a very good question, one I had asked myself countless times before. Money was scarce around my house, but taking a stranger's handout made me and Lana look like a charity chase. I would _never_ allow her to be used or bartered like stock, even if it meant easier living! And the not calling his parents part… maybe I was still a little bitter and angry that they let their son do this to my sister. Before she met him, she was still a little wild and carefree, but when he left her the traces of drug use and outrageous party going went out of control. He got her so used to the lifestyle that she couldn't leave it, even if it sacrificed time with her only daughter.

I folded my hands on my lap in a reserved manner, ready to take fault for everything Elizabeth neglected to do. "Look, Edward," I missed the way he reacted to me saying his name for the rest time, too intent on focusing on the task ahead, "my sister fucked up but so did your brother. They were poison for each other." I knew how psychotic my sister was with Erick, they had one horrible, dysfunctional relationship that somehow lasted two horrendous years. In the quest to love one another, they beat, hurt, broke, and tried to kill each other. "I can waste hours trying to explain everything, but that's not why I came here- I don't want your money nor did I come here to force you into Lana's life. All I need is someone to go with me, back to my sister's place."

He sent me a careening look, not liking the way I brushed him off. "Lana's my niece just like she's yours- just 'cause I didn't get the privilege of being the permanent baby sitter like you for the last four years doesn't mean shit." I spluttered at his comment, ready to break every last bottle of Cristal he ordered right over his head. Permanent baby sitter? I was Lana's mother for all she knew! I took care of, burped her, went through the teething stage, and took her to doctor appointments… I was her mom, no matter what any of the Cullens thought. For some childish reason, my eyes betrayed me and started to water. I would be damned if I let a single tear drop fall! These people didn't deserve to get me upset .

"This was a mistake." My voice was low, but not low enough that he couldn't hear me. "I'm not sure why I thought any of you would help me. That's my fault." I sounded bitter; all the way down to the way I stomped out of his booth and wound my way through the crowds of people, I felt foolish and duped for even coming here. Did the Kings bring me here just to be humiliated face-to-face with the one I never wanted to meet? Had his seduction been a ploy to make me lose my shiled and try to trust him with evil intentions? I pushed men and women out of my way, not feeling like dealing with anyone in my current state- even as Rosie approached me with a hopeful look.

"How'd it go?" She smiled down at me.

"I hate his fucking guts one hundred times more than I did before," Came my solitary answer. It was true- if I had it my way he was never going to see Lana for the rest of her life.

Her face scrunched in confusion. "What? Why? He's not gonna help after all?" She looked towards her husband, who had an unreadable face.

"I told you- _I told you_ guys this was going to happen!" I was on the verge of hysteria as we made it back outside. I didn't even want to wait for valet; I would walk myself home if it meant getting away from here sooner. "I knew he wouldn't help me." Involuntary tears came pouring down my face at the revelation- because I knew that not even King would go against what Edward did. If Edward wouldn't help, neither would King. "God, I wasted so much time in there!" I let out a frustrated growl.

"Don't be so negative, Bella, maybe he will? You never know-" She was soft-spoken and attentive, covering my shoulders with her cashmere shawl.

"You don't get it!" I whined. "Him and the rest of the Cullens hate Liz, and they're taking it out on Lana." I was so frustrated with the entire ordeal- if I hadn't been so worried about my niece, I was sure I would have passed out in fatigue at the events of the day. "And now he hates me because I didn't tell Liz about the money-"

"I do _not _hate you." That unforgettable voice knocked me right off my feet, almost literally as I whipped around to see him standing in the entryway of his own party.

**A/N: LOVING your reviews. Here's your gift for being so loyal and supportive to me! **

**Yes, this story involves some Spanglish. Translation:**

**Bonita: beautiful**

**Puto: whore (male)**

**Jefe: boss**

**Que No?: am I right?**


	3. He's Gonna Show Me Just What Fast Is

"Big T, you get the doorman. CJay comes with me and Sal- hold the car down and move on my go, alright?" Edward Cullen left no room for argument as we drove through the streets of Lower Detroit, whizzing past stop signs and pedestrians of the night- _Jesus_, was he trying to get pulled over? Each one of the men in this packed down car, which would have been spacious had four other _normal_ sized people occupied it, all owned an illegally obtained weapon of choice- not to mention the fact that I could smell the alcohol on Edward's breath from the passenger seat. "Ay, you know you're lucky right?" He caught my attention with a gesture of his right hand, gliding the Escalade's leather steering wheel with a few fingers on his left hand.

"Yeah? Why's that?" I asked, but I could care less. When he went for my hand I snatched it away and pretended to be more interested in the zooming scenery out of the open window. There was no way I was ever going to willing to near him after this night; he would have to remember those few minutes we spent at his VIP booth if he ever wanted to see me with him again.

But sleuth as a cat, he snatched my hand from my lap and held it in his own, not lovingly but possessively- and I didn't like possessive guys one bit. "Cause Big T never lets anyone take his front seat privileges." When the guys laughed in unison, I yanked it away once more and slapped his arm for good effort. Who did this wise guy think he was? Maybe that worked on the girls in his club but I sure didn't see the allure in it. "See boys? She likes me." The three guys stuffed almost comically in the middle seats laughed again, as if on cue.

"What, you pay 'em to laugh at your jokes too?" My quiet jibe caused a ruckus in the back, wherein Big T rocked my leather seat back and forth in his mirth- even as somber as I was, it made me crack a smile nonetheless. These guys were alright, if I had to say so myself. Who knew cronies could be so funny and genteel? Edward gave them a look through the rearview mirror that quieted them almost instantly, obviously not liking to be the butt of the joke. "So…" I tapped my fingers against the bare skin of my thighs in nervousness, "what's the plan for me? I mean, you give Big, Curly, & Moe jobs right off the top but leave me outta the loop." It almost hurt my feelings that I was pushed aside when his brilliant mind went to work- honestly, he had all of this planned out by the time we left Finnigans. We would go in, have Big T scare the guard, Jay would stall the boyfriend, and Edward would go in guns blazing to take Lana away. Where did I fit in the mix? "I'm tougher than I look, you know." I muttered.

Edward smirked at me. "I know."

"So?" I goaded him.

"Spit it out." Was he really gonna make me beg him or something? I sent him a pointed look, to which he returned for a second while his eyes were off the road.

"Let's make a deal, pretty girl." I groaned at the prospect of making a deal with him- my mother taught me to refuse the Devil, not make deals with him. But I made a long gesture with my hand to make him get on with his wicked plans anyway. "You can be lookout." A few chortles and mumbles came from the back and I scoffed along with them.

"No, absolutely not! I know _enough_ about these things to know that only idiots are 'lookouts'." I crossed my arms, a crossed look coming over my face at the fact that he was trying to play me for a fool. "Plus, you don't need a lookout if you've got Sal with the car."

"You got a smart one, _Jefe_." Sal, the shortest and oldest one, smiled in the back. He was probably somewhere in his early fifties, though I couldn't see what would make him still hang around this business. Weren't old men supposed to retire?

Edward smirked some more and even sent a wink my way. "You got that right." I wanted to scream _'I'm not his, I don't belong to anyone,'_ but these guys would have just laughed me off. According to them, anything and everything in their boss' way belonged to him. I merely crossed my arms tighter and refused to look his way, even when his adventurous hand found its way to the nape of my neck, massaging the massive knot that this entire situation caused. I closed my eyes and suppressed a moan of relief when the knot slowly dissipated, leaving a red hot sensation that found its way to my lower belly. It was devastating, how just one touch of Edward's could make me feel like that. It wasn't like the others, where kissing and groping and the inside of pants were needed to achieve any sort of pleasure. He could just look at me, or lightly touch at an otherwise innocent spot on my skin, and my lower body would stir with surprisingly libido.

"Okay, _bonita_, you can come." My eyes shot to his in humiliation- what… could he read my mind? Did he know I was having naughty thoughts about him? But when realization dawned that he was likely speaking in terms of coming _along_ with him, I hid my face and nodded. Either he didn't notice my split-second embarrassment or he chose not to play on it. "But you stay behind _me_ the whole time. No hero shit, aight?" I nodded soundly, hoping he wouldn't turn around and change his mind. Wait, did that mean he would give me a gun, too? Not that I would know what to do with it… but everyone else got to have a gun, why not me?

"So, how'd you get so messed up? Can't imagine from a catfight." Sal spoke up when the silence seemed to be too much. I knew Edward had a thousand things running through his mind, just as I did. What if they were waiting for us? What if Black was a lot crazier than I initially pegged him as? Was Lana going to witness something bad or worse- had she already witnessed something she'd never forget? Would counseling be needed for the next twenty years? Would they have guns as well? What if there were ten of them, and just the three of us that ventured upstairs? Would Big T hear us, and would he make a difference? I shook away my drowning thoughts and turned in my seat to face him, ignoring Edward's hand on my knee cap.

"I got into it with my sister's boyfriend- or I don't know, he was calling himself her fiancé." I shrugged. "Who knows, she's a hoe." Big T laughed outright- it was true what they said about not judging someone by their cover. Here Big T was, halfway to seven feet tall and a hefty size to rival any giant I knew of, but he had the squeakiest laughter and softest eyes imaginable. Against his chestnut black skin, they really started to grow on me. Edward gave them a three second debrief on a mere need-to-know skim off the surface, but if they were going to risk their lives they deserved to know why. "I take care of my niece most of the time, and my sister picks her up when it's convenient to her. It's usually just for a few hours or sometimes a day, but now it's been three days. Something's up." I rolled my eyes at the way it sounded out loud- was I stupid to do everything for her the way I did? Should I have taught her a lesson about parenting a long time ago? "She's a few months away from turning four, her name's Lana." To further implant her image in their minds, I pulled out my phone and scrolled through the many pictures I had of her. Whether it was funny faces or doing cute poses, Lana was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.

"She's beautiful." CJay commented stoically, making me doubt he even understood what the word beautiful meant. "Tell me exactly how he did that to you, I need to know." His eyes had a wicked glee about them, and I could imagine him sharpeneing a blade against stone whilst cackling loudly. What did 'CJay' stand for anyway? He had the name embroided on his cowboy-style shirt and even on the handkerchief hanging from the left back pocket of his jeans.

At first I stayed silent, thinking that he'd understand my hesitation. I wanted to completely forget about that incident, not drudge it back up for conversation. He didn't _need_ to know. No one needed to know my business. "Well, uh, we got in a scuffle like I said." I didn't want to mention the fact that it was not a scuffle; I hadn't even got _one_ hit on him. He walked away scratch free while I ran off to Rosie's to get doctored up like a wuss. Jay, with those infiltrating blue eyes and awfully pale skin, continued to stare at me I finally gave in. Anything to get him to look away. "The doorman threatened to call the cops, then _he_ came storming out and dragged me to the next building…" I bit down on my lip, trying to keep it together in front of these strangers. "He shoved my face against the wall and shook me a few times. And my sister just watched." I shrugged like it was nothing and went back to looking outside the window.

_You were assaulted, it's not nothing!_, a ravenous part of me rallied. _Tell Jay to beat the living shit out of him. Make sure he pays for every last breath he stole from you_… but I inhaled a deep breath and let it go. I didn't need negative thoughts like that to cloud my mind when it came down to it, I needed a clear head and to keep my wits about me. Payback would have been nice, but it wasn't a top priority. That was the beauty about the streets- you always get the second chance to run into old enemies sooner or later. "He's got it coming." Edward spoke to me, and only me, in a low tone I almost mistook as a threat. But it wasn't a threat on my life; this was all on Black now.

"Yeah, don't you worry, little lady!" Big T said happily from the backseat, trying his hardest to squeeze his head through the space between the driver and passenger seat. "Crazy Jay always gives people what they have comin' to 'em." I peered back at him, nodding at what he said in agreement but trying not the laugh at the image. He had Sal and CJay nearly squished to death with the weight and pressure he was leaning against them with for the sake of getting my attention. Was 'CJay' short for Crazy Jay? I shuddered thinking of how the blonde cowboy-wannabe (or was that just how he was born?) got that name for himself. I knew men in this lifestyle never went by real names, but some of their aliases were too sketchy for my liking.

We pulled up to the side of the apartment and jumped out of the inconspicuous car as though we were heading home after a long day- I tailed Edward to the back bumper, where he only nodded in their direction before crossing the street, his hand glued on top of mine. I tried yanking it away like earlier, but he held a firestone grip this time around and jerked me closer to him as we approached the sliding door. The same man from earlier met us, this time with a much friendlier demeanor. "Why, hello! Residents or guests?" He even smiled in my direction as though that morning hadn't happened at all.

"Neither." Big T growled before taking the elderly man's neck in a hold tight enough to make his eyes roll to the back of his head. He hoisted himself up on the top of the counter (though I was not as confident as he was that the wooden counter would hold him) and snatched an open magazine from the man's desk- he waved happily from his post to us in the awaiting elevator. I had to smile at the dangerous ludicrousness of this; when else would I be riding a see-though elevator up with someone gorgeous like Edward, terrifying like Jay, and happy-go-lucky like Big T? Our shaft opened on the fifteenth floor, where a stretched hallway of maybe twelve apartments were.

"How do we know which door is theirs?" I asked nervously, almost telling them we should just head back down to the car. _You can do it for Lana, if not for anything else._

"We don't," CJay almost smiled at my shaking hands, "that's why you're going to kick each and every door down until we find the right one."

My eyes bulged out of my head. "Kick it down? What? _No_! That's wrong!" These innocent people didn't deserve to get their doors busted open, which wouldn't be repaired until the morning! I couldn't do that to innocent people.

"How else do you plan on finding her?" Edward bit out testily.

I gnawed on my lower lip, trying my hardest to ignore the already drawn out nines in their hands. "Maybe I could just knock?"

Crazy Jay scoffed. "Yeah and give them time to call the cops. You got two guys with guns with "criminal" written on their forehead, and one girl that looks like she just came off the strip-" I picked up one of the inexpensive flower vases from the hallway table and chucked it at him, missing him in my pathetic attempt. He was already standing in front of the first door, his foot raised and his shoulders poised to kick it down when I rushed to it and knocked on it instead. He let out an inhuman growl when I gestured for them to hide their weapons for now at least just moments before the big door squeaked open.

"Yes?" The old woman squinted up at us, not out of disdain but because of the lack of spectacles on her face. The tan lines where they usually resided were a dead giveaway. "What time is it?" She croaked out.

"Sorry to wake you, M'am." I feigned politeness and smiled at her. "But we were wondering if you could help us- we, my brothers and I, we're looking for our friend's apartment. Silly me, I forgot to write down the number before we got here." I clasped my hands in front of me, as to say _'I'm unharmed and innocent, please trust me'_. She looked me over a few times, her vision still hazy from having no true help, and finally nodded. "Would you happen to know where a Mister Black lives?"

She pursed her lips immediately. "Yes I do, and quite frankly I don't think too highly of you and your brothers for going over there." She gestured to a spot on the left, five doors down. "By God, if my name isn't Eugenia Hendar, I have never seen one man be so cruel to people in my whole eighty-two years! He's a _bad_ man." Eugenia waggled a wrinkly, arthritis-ridden finger towards me.

"Yeah, well so are we." Edward called from over his shoulder before charging right to the door she pointed out. I muttered a quick thanks to the old woman before following his footsteps, all but losing my mind when he broke the door down with a single thrust. Was my apartment door that weak? A few screams erupted from the living room as we pushed our way through, weird psychedelic music playing through the house- how could this apartment fit this many people? There were at least forty men and women, some on the couch, some on the floor, and the rest crowding the walkways. "Anyone who's not Mr. Black or Elizabeth Swan," Edward boomed over the crowd of people, "needs to get the fuck out!" I was thrown against the kitchen counter as they started to scream louder, running into the formerly empty hallway as soon as Edward and Jay brought out their shiny little toys from their waistline. I shut the door behind them, seeing as it was thankfully still on its hinges for now. I didn't want anyone to accidentally walk past and see what was about to happen.

In no time, Black and my sister came bounding out of one of the closed doors with looks of pure fury on their faces. "You little _bitch_-" He went to lurch for me, but the realization of Edward's nine sent him back to where he was. "Hey, whoa- I'm unarmed! My name's Jake Black." He stuttered out. _Jake_- that was his name? I scrunched my nose at his lame, whitewashed first name. "Look, I don't know what lies this bitch is feeding you! But she's lying I swear- she's my fiancé's ex that can't get over her! This bitch is out of her fucking mind!" He was screaming at us, and for once I wasn't afraid. I knew he wouldn't touch me, because he didn't have a snowball's chance in hell of seeing tomorrow's sunrise if he did. And that made me safe, almost happy. "If you leave now, I won't call the cops… hell! We can just pretend this never happened. You don't know the mess she's getting you into-"

"Jay, how many times did Jake Black call my Bella a bitch?" Edward never lost Black's gaze.

CJay smiled serenely, as if he enjoyed this more than Christmas morning. "Three times, boss."

"And how many times did he call you a bitch when we weren't here?" He directed the question at me, still never breaking away from glaring daggers at Black.

I swallowed nervously, not considering that I'd have a speaking role in their theatrical play. "Uh… well, uh, he didn't call me a bitch." I cleared my throat. "Black said something worse." People commented on the size of my balls because of my courage when faced with fear and hard times… but I couldn't look at Black. Not when I thought of all the ways Edward planned on killing him with. "He called me a cunt." I squeezed the word out of my mouth, but it left a sour taste on my tongue. That word was repulsive! I wasn't even sure why it was created in the first place. Jay made a noise in the back of his throat, obviously feeling the same way I felt about it.

Who knew criminals had a sense for vocabulary and genteel? These ones sure did.

"At least four times."

"Four times." Edward parroted me with a raised eyebrow. "You called _my_ fiancé a cunt, at least four times?" So many things were wrong with that sentence. One was being the weird, slick reaction down there when he said the formerly dreaded 'C' word, and the second being my oblong facial expression when he announced our fake, ill-thought out engagement. I felt almost proud when Black's face went from horrified to shocked back to horrification once more.

"Look, I really don't want any problems-" Jake started out with his hands outstretched in caution.

"Well, you got 'em." CJay said, a rather bored look overcoming his face now.

"You know, words hurt." Edward finally put down his gun and stepped closer to the dark-skinned man, whom looked younger and maybe stronger than him. Why was he being so careless? If Jake got a hold of his weapon, then… I shut my eyes in fear of what would happen. "Don't they?" As if to make an example, Edward brought his hand down against Jake's face- well, that had to be the loudest bitch slap I had ever witnessed. "Especially to someone sweet and pretty like Bella." He added.

"I know, I know!" Jake nodded erratically, looking close to pissing his pants right there. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry, okay? Isn't that what you came for, an apology?" He directed it towards me, but I averted my eyes to the open bay window instead. It was like I could feel Edward about to make his move, like a chill running through my veins into my pumping heart vessels.

"That _and_ my niece." Edward's voice was unforgiving as he pointed his gun right into Jake's face. I felt the automatic need to scream at him to stop this madness, but for once in my life I let it happen. I gave up control of the situation and let him take into his own hands. "Where is she? And don't you fuckin' lie to me, you little shithead."

"What niece?" Jake had the same bewildered look on his face.

Before he died for his mistake, I butted in. "He said Liz told him there was no kid… that she was barren, couldn't have any." The look of pure humiliation embedded her face, leaving no luck for redemption or those crocodile tears she was fond of making. She was pathetic and now more than just one person knew it.

"You lied," Edward got in her face, so close to her that he could probably smell the makeup she piled on each day, "about _my_ niece?" He looked murderous. "And about not being able to have kids?" I didn't understand why that part made him so angry, but I came to understand that Edward was a good guy deep, deep, deep down inside. He had feelings, though not very many believed it. "You're the worst kinda broad out there," Edward spat in her face, "and I regret the day my brother ever met you."

She screamed bloody murder at the end of his words, leaping over furniture and antiques to get away from him. My eyes shot to her in an instant- what the hell crawled up her vagina? Just minutes ago she was standing beside her doting fiancé, and now she was halfway across the room, backed up against the wall like a prison inmate. "You brought one of _them_ into my home? _A Cullen_?" Lizzy screamed at me.

I couldn't speak; I was glued to the spot with no way of ever freeing my limbs. I had betrayed her- I made her become face-to-face with one of the very men that scared her into hiding. _One of the wretched Cullens_, as my parents were fond of saying. I made her worst nightmare become a reality, just as she did mine. I never wanted to do this, to turn to Erick's (his name brought about a natural gag reflex) older brother for help- but she decided to teach me a lesson, or perhaps do her best to hurt me the only way she knew how these days. She knew words and punches didn't make me cry anymore. Elizabeth knew her daughter was my only standing weakness. "You gave me no choice, Elizabeth. You _took_ Lana away from the only home she's ever known."

"Because I can!" She yelled out in anguish. "Because she's _my_ daughter, not yours! I'm her mom!" But then Lizzy calmed down, drilling her light brown eyes into my own. "Face it, little sis," she _never_ referred to me as her sister, "you will _never_ see Lana again. There's cameras everywhere here, I'll go to the cops and make sure you never even say her name agai-"

That was it.

That was the last thing I remember. The rest of it was a blur, really, except for what I was told by Jay sometime later. Rumor was that I charged across the room at a speed I was technically incapable of and tackled my sister to the floor in unabated rage- they said I wrapped my hands around her throat and slammed her against the carpeted floor repeatedly, ignoring every cry for mercy she sent me. Then when Edward went to hoist me up by my shoulders, a limp Lizzy beneath me, I got in as many face-stomping kicks that I could before turning on him and raging about. I could hardly recall clawing at his face and getting in punches everywhere I was able, trying to get free and attack Jake Black next. I remembered wanting to kill both of them with my bare hands, and I was fairly certain that I was mentally capable of such a feat.

But the red fog of rage slowly lifted from my brain, leaving only a limp rag doll in Edward's arms- he waited until it was clear that I wasn't faking it before releasing me back to the ground, where my wobbly feet touched down. "You crazy bi-" Jake started, but Jay's gun came down in a harsh gesture against his formerly flawless face.

"Number four, boss." CJay called out to us.

I ignored his antics and began jiggling the numerous locked doors, Edward working at each one in silence. He raised his gun to blow the handle off but I stopped him immediately. "No! She could be right on the other side!" If he hurt my Lana in any way, I'd go 'crazy bitch Bella' on his ass the same way I did my sister. And he wasn't even blood-related- it would be that much easier on my conscious. He did it caveman style and broke every single door down until we came upon a completely empty one, with no bed and no toys like her makeshift room at my apartment. There was one plastic bag on a counter, and from the smell of it I could assume it was rotten fruit or spoiled food, and in the corner huddled was my shivering niece. "Lana!" I screamed, not in fear or terror, but in absolute happiness. Her head snapped up, as though she had been fooled by this trick a time before, before leaving her corner of loneliness and went right into my arms. I hugged her tighter than I ever did before, supremely relieved that she was here, _alive_. Nothing mattered anymore. Not my unconscious sister passed out on the floor, not the very large debt I would now owe the Cullen family, and not even Crazy Jay could bring a damper on this evening. My love was back, and I had missed her so much.


	4. Well Baby, Now You Do

**A/N: As always, translations are found at the bottom. I promise to never speak in full bilingual sentences, that only confuses readers (I hate it when authors do that). Hope you guys are loving this as much as I am!**

**First 20 reviewers get a sneak peak of the next chapter coming out Wednesday! **

"Aunnie, I misseded you so, so, so, so much." She cried into my hair. "I told Lizzy!" I would usually reprimand Lana for calling her mother by her name, but I no longer cared, "Take me back to home, but she didn't! Lizzy made me stay and said don't say stuff, but no one saw me so I didn't have someone to talk anyways." I held my face away from hers, looking in her eyes and over her exposed body parts for any marks at all. I would usually make her repeat her sentence and cutout the baby talk, but it was just too adorable to fix for the moment. Her usually rambunctious honey brown locks were matted, dark brown strings hanging around her face, causing me to frown. I always told Lana that her hair was the crown of her beauty, and what did her mother go and do? Liz did what she did best, she fucked it up. "Who's that?" She tugged at my dress, pointing directly at Edward. He stood still as a statue, looking more like Adonis than the first moment I laid eyes on him.

I swallowed nervously, not ready for this part of the situation. "Sweetie pie, you remember when I told you about Uncle Emmett?" I didn't have to see Edward's face to know that stung- yes, I told her about one uncle but not the other. How did anyone expect me to brace poor Lana against the cruelty of the world with someone like him in her family? I didn't want her to even say his name aloud, lest ask about him. So I told her about the youngest Cullen brother, the sweetheart of the family instead, to explain how aunts and uncles differed from mothers and fathers. Had I neglected to tell Rosie and Elizabeth that I sent pictures and Lana's drawings to him occasionally? Oh, yes, I had. "Well, he has a brother, too." I laid it out softly.

Lana's eyes watered and her lower lip wobbled dangerously. "Uncle Emmett has a brother?" When I nodded in agreement, she gaped at the tower of a man that he must have seemed. "Is _he_ my daddy?"

Perhaps both Edward's and my own heart dropped to the pit of our stomachs at the very same time. "No, honey, he's not your dad."

"I'm your _tio_-" When Lana sent him a perturbed look, he cleared his throat and started over. "I'm your Uncle Edward." He said it roughly only because he knew no other way to say it. I bit my lip shut, willing myself to just let them have their moment without any interruptions. "But I knew your dad." _Knew_? As in past tense?

We were in our own private bubble, away from this fucked up situation and away from this world, simply existing as three random lives thrust into the same room at the same time. Somehow the Fates decided that we should see each other, know each other, and perhaps even love each other. That is, until Crazy Jay called to us from the living room. "Whadaya want me to do, boss? The regular?" It was a type of language I got used to the more I was around them- they spoke in specific terms, they used generic words to signal horrific deeds. I hugged Lana tighter to me and followed Edward out, not too sure how the rest was going to happen. He hadn't planned this out, and if he had then he hadn't allowed me to be in on it. Edward was just like that, I would learn, he made plans for everyone but kept them to himself.

"Can we just go?" I held Lana's head down to my shoulder, not wanting her too see a busted-face Liz or that distasteful man she was dating. Edward thought over his options and with a reluctant move of his head, Jay tossed Jake Black into the entertainment center- causing the entire contraption of plasma screen, long speakers, and a large glass piece of art to come crashing down to the floor. "Put that away-" I was starting to bitch but when they did as I asked, silent and brooding but willing nonetheless. I shut up right away, not needing to waste any more breath on either of them. Lana was too young to understand what the shiny pieces of metal in their hands meant, but I was a cautious person. Growing up around guns as a child, I wasn't too afraid of them. Hell, my dad had even taught me how to use one at the range on seldom weekends! But that wasn't what I wanted for Lana… I would never fabricate an unnecessary risk in her path.

Now that Edward had fulfilled his role in this, I no longer needed him or any of his muscle to ever help me again. I doubted Lizzy would ever come around but if she did, I would be ready for her. I was more than capable of taking care of Lana now that she was out of the picture. But as we stepped off of the elevator shaft and regrouped with Big Mike, Edward slid his arm around my waist and escorted the three of us to the car- had I swapped one cancer for another? Sure he was all sweet and charming now, and I admittedly flashed him my good side as well, but I knew men like him- they changed, and fairly quickly. Instead of taking the front like before, Sal and Big Mike took our previous spots and Edward ushered us girls in before walking around the back and sitting on the other side of Lana. He slipped his arm over the headrests, collecting my shoulders and squeezing me closer to him, our niece crumpled up in between us. _Jesus Christ, you'll never be able to escape those grabby hands_, I inwardly huffed, but I let it go and paid attention to her instead.

"You wanna talk about anything?" I spoke softly, not wanting to upset her but feeling the urge to know anything and everything that happened to her.

She looked up at me and then over at Edward, obviously only wanting to talk about one thing. "No." I rolled my eyes at her coy attitude- you literally had to wring information out of this girl at times. "But I'm hungry, Aunnie." Lana whined.

"Why she call you that, huh?" Edward watched our entire interaction, maybe because he was trying his hardest to find just one tiny gap in our niece-aunt relationship. He was going to have to keep looking because he'd never find one.

"What, _Aunnie_?" Maybe it sounded funny or even annoying to people outside of the baby world, but any word a kid said was a miracle and something to be thankful. Some kids chose not to speak at all. "She means to say 'aunt' but doesn't have it right yet. It was her second word, right after 'food'." I smiled down at Lana, whom was blushing like a little china doll for being talked about.

"The kid loves to eat, then?" He grinned down at her, obviously liking her otherwise healthy appetite. I rolled my eyes at the way he said 'the kid' as though she was some orphan we just picked up off the side of the road.

"Aunnie's s'ghetti, pee-zza, peanut butter sammich, smarshmellows-" Lana began to list off. I laughed for the second time that night whole-heartedly at the pure bliss she brought my life. I loved her words, her smiles, her thoughtfulness… I loved everything about Lana, she was the perfect kid. "gessa-dillas, rice, tacos-" I hushed her after awhile, seeing as I didn't want to try Edward's patience and Lana really could go on for hours about her favorite foods. She was alike Lizzy in the way that she loved to hear herself talk- I for one tried to teach her listening skills and aptitude, but it wasn't sticking so far.

"Nah, let the kid talk." Edward's draped hand massaged at my shoulder while the other pulled my hand away from Lana's mouth, where he wound his fingers through mine with ease. My pulse quickened at the seemingly simple action, though I didn't exactly know why. The sensible part of me said that this was wrong and it would only confuse Lana more, but when her ear-splitting grin was directed at me, I let it be. If this, her uncle and I holding hands, made her _that_ happy then I couldn't argue. "So you got good taste buds, eh?" She smiled prettily at him, the way she did with so few people, and nodded happily. The girl didn't even know what taste buds were, but if they were coming out of her glorified 'uncle's' mouth, then they were golden. "Your favorite?"

Lana playfully pursed her lips back and forth, somehow finding our hands in the darkness and drawing invisible lines and shapes where our fingers were interlocked, and sighed at last. "Pee-zza!" I sent her a pointed look at her answer- it wasn't her favorite until a few months back, when I announced that we would take a break from pizza for a little bit. Was it my fault that Detroit seemed to be the pizza and hot dog capital of the world? Not to mention it was the cheapest meal on the street! But I worried about the ingredients and her tiny tummy having too much bad stuff (not to mention the way _I _was climbing pant sizes) so I put a temporary ban on it for awhile. "But Aunnie says no."

My mouth opened ajar, completely taken aback by her malicious ways. Was she trying to get her way with him already, only having met him ten minutes ago? If we were anywhere else I would have given her a good tongue lashing, but I took a deep breath and let that go too. For now, she could be a brat… she deserved a few minutes of it. "_Bonita _won't give you pizza? Why not?" He almost sounded outraged by the prospect of it, as though I had been denying her water.

When she shrugged her shoulders innocently I couldn't hold back the scoff any longer. "Don't start her on that, Edward." I didn't miss the fire in his eyes when I said his name a second time that night, "I don't want her thinking she can do the brat thing and get away with it." I scolded her with just a look, but he scooted closer and leaned into Lana against my wishes.

"Don't listen to _Bonita_, you get whatever you want whenever you want, _princessa_." I glared at him over her head. Why was he putting ideas like that into her head? She wasn't a princess with a silver spoon in her mouth, and I wasn't going to start treating her like it anytime soon- I would make sure she never had to want for anything, but that didn't necessarily mean I would spoil her rotten. I had a feeling that was exactly what he planned on doing. "You're a Cullen, _mijita_, Detroit owes _you_." I didn't like the amount of Spanish he was speaking to her, it would only confuse her! It was hard enough trying to teach her English let alone another language that I didn't even understand.

I was close to snapping back at him, but Lana did it for me. "A _Cullen_?" She said the word with so much absurdity that Edward almost looked taken aback. No one in their right mind said that name like that. "No, I'm a _girl_." She snapped sassily, having taken offense to what she misunderstood.

Edward laughed at the young girl, only adding fuel to her embarrassment and further anger. "No, _mijita_, your last name is Cullen. I can tell you're a girl _ovio_." He spoke slowly to her, which was an automatic no-no. She didn't even let me talk to her like that.

Lana was, safe to say, a teenager living in a toddler's body. Her arms crossed sourly as she looked his face over differently, not so charmed by him anymore. "My name is Lana Esmia _Swan_. So _you're_ wrong!" _Good girl_, I wanted to purr.

"Two of a kind." He sent me a playful wink to my chagrin. Edward wasn't even fazed by her little smart remark, instead embracing her young attitude I tried my hardest to contain. Lana had far too much energy and attitude for an almost four year old, but there was nothing to do wayward about it. He squeezed his fingers around mine, reminding me that he was holding my hand and _not_ the other way around. "Esmia?" He sent me a questioning look to which I shrugged to. I hadn't the slightest clue where my sister came up with that name- probably a soap opera character's name or something, there was no telling. "I can fix your problem with the last name with some pizza- _que no_?" Her eyes brightened at the thought of such a delicious compromise, but I shut it down with a yank of my hand.

I brought it to Lana's shoulder and sent him a look of detest. He could buy everyone else in this world, perhaps even my complianceif tonight was any indication, with one-sided deals and favors but the same would _not _be said about my niece. "Don't do that to her!" I fired indignantly. She was too young to make a loaded choice like that- who could make that sort of decision at the age of three and a half? And besides, she couldn't possibly begin to understand the consequences of such an action. Most people on the streets of Lower Southern Detroit knew the Cullen name, and it wasn't all sweet and cozy like Edward made it seem. People hated them, were scorned by them, or plainly envied them- I wouldn't have my niece attached to such a name until she fully understood the impact it would have on her life. "No pizza, no Cullen." I shut out that ludicrous comprise with a flick of my hand. I craned my beck to look fully into her eyes. "When we get home I'll cook you some-"

"You can't go back to your pad." He said it easily.

I couldn't go back? "And why not?" I wanted to speak in all Caps but lowered my tone in fear that it'd upset Lana.

"First place they're gonna look for you." Another noncommittal shrug ensued. I was slowly starting to lose my patience with his low-strung manner- it was as if he planned on such a fact the entire night.

"_They_?" I questioned sourly. Could he even understand the words that came out of my mouth, seeing as my teeth were clamped together?

"Yeah, _they_- cops, Black, maybe even Elizabeth, more of her goons." Edward had an almost amused look on his face, eyes shining with the passing lights of a midnight Detroit. "D'you think _that_ was it? Think they were gonna just go away?" He snorted loudly, making Lana jump in surprise. "_Bonita_, these people… scavengers, dirty assholes-" I covered Lana's ears, "they don't learn like that." It felt like another heavy ball and chain was being attached at my waist- how much more could I possibly face? If I couldn't go back to my apartment, where did he expect me to go? Bunking with Rosie indefinitely could work, but I didn't want King and his foul mouth around my Lana. Michael Newton was outta the question, he didn't like Lana all that much (though I wasn't offended, he didn't like any kinda kid) and I wouldn't put that sort of 'family' pressure on him. My parents were big enough assholes when I grew up, I refused to put Lana through that, either. "They only learn _this_ way." He patted his left hip suggestively.

I looked away immediately, not wanting to think about the fact that he was heavily armed. My mind went a million miles a minute; where would we go? If it had been just me, any one of my former 'best friends' would have taken me in without thinking, but with a kid attached it wasn't that easy. And there was no way in hell I'd ever leave her. "We have no choice." I said at last, daring not to look at him. "It's her home, Edward, all she knows! I don't want to move her around a bunch, one place to another like Liz did-"

"Then don't." Edward grabbed my chin forcefully, making me look right into his eyes.

I squirmed but didn't pull away. "You just said I couldn't go back-"

"Come home with me tonight." How many times had he fed a girl that line? I rolled my eyes at his act. Really, did he consider me so stupid? He wasn't ever going to get between these legs, even if I was eternally grateful for what he did for us. If one thing could be said about this Spanish "Both of you- you _and_ Lana, come home with me. We can figure out everything else in the morning."

All thought left me, there was just him and me in that car. Lana even disappeared into thin air for a few moments- had he just said that to me, or was this some sort of sick fantasy? He came off the exact opposite of a family man at first glance- what with the guns, the bitches, and his choice of company at given moment. But in that second, I stared fully into his face and captured what I suspected only very few ever did. I saw the man beneath the cruel, roguish gangsta he spent so much time composing. Edward Cullen wasn't perfect nor the ideal option whatsoever, but the fact that he opened his home and mind to us was painstakingly beautiful.

And I was a sucker for the more beautiful things in life.

**A/N: FYI the next chapter MIGHT explain Emmett's existence in Lana's life. WARNING: you MIGHT fall madly in love with Emmett in this story. Just a warning. As always, I love my readers & your thoughtful reviews! **

**Translations:**

**Mijita: little girl**

**Tio: uncle**

**Ovio: obviously**

**Princessa: princess **

**Que No: Am I right?**


	5. Foolish

**A/N: WARNING: a little rated 'M' here. maybe not in the way you think? **

**And sorry, no Emmett in this one. Keep an eye out for him, he'll have his cameos!**

"So…" Rosie turned her head, as if to better angle herself for the truth, "you're shacking up with Jefe?" She said the name without accent, but it still irked me. Was that a question or a statement? I just spent the past hour going over the entire night and all of the gruesome details, but all she had to add was _that_?

"That's a stupid name, first of all." I pointed out sourly, already going crazy hearing that name a million times since last Friday. "Secondly, we are _not_ 'shacking up'; we are temporarily sharing the same residence." I put a second finger up sarcastically. "Thirdly, none of this has to do with any sort of made-up sexual attraction to each other, it's all for Lana." I huffed in a stuffy manner- I knew Rosie, she was going to take this above and beyond what it was worth.

"Hey, I never said anything about sexual attraction- those are _your_ words." She looked so smug, sitting there on her unbelievably clean crème sofa, jewelry hanging from every wrist, neck, and finger. I tossed a plush throw pillow at her and covered my face with both hands, glad to be able to just lie there on her sofa in peace- Royce King had the best security system out there, which made me feel safe with Lana (despite feeling icky being in the house that belonged to someone douche-y like her husband). Lana was giggling happily upstairs with Marco, having been back in her element the very next morning of her incident. Kids had one hell of a defense mechanism, didn't they? They could forget traumatic memories like wisps in the wind. "But enough of you wanting to see Jefe naked," she dodged another pillow and walked towards me, plopping gently at the foot of my sofa, "how is it? Are you at least comfortable?"

I uncovered my face and stared up at the sheet rock ceiling for a few moments, considering my answer. It was a loaded question- one part of me wanted to enjoy all of it, but another fought against it with vigor. "I mean, it's alright." I only partially lied. It was better than alright, but I wouldn't admit it. "The fridge is stocked full as if he's expecting a house full of guests any minute- mostly junk food and steak." It was weird at first to open a freezer only to see it brimming with 6-10 ounce steaks all individually freezer-wrapped. I hadn't had a steak in so very long, I could admit that my mouth watered at the sight. "Lana likes it because of the carpeted stairs. She says it's like a princess staircase." I rolled my eyes at her words. She found it her job to discover every corner in his three bedroom house, often making me delirious with worry. Did he have guns or drugs tossed around carelessly? He was a drug _dealer_, anyway.

"But?" She goaded.

"For one, he has no security system." I added angrily.

"Yeah but neither did you." I glared over at Rosalie- whose side was she on?

"But I'm not a professional criminal with lots of enemies- Edward said, I quote "I am my own security system". I mean, how stupid does that sound? He acts like he's around twenty-four seven, as if he's a professional _anti_-burglar. Didn't he do petty crimes when he was younger? Surely he knows a thief could strike anywhere, at any time." It made my cheeks flame up just thinking about our argument the day before.

Rosie laughed heartily. "You've lived with the guy for two days and you're already fighting?" She threw herself against the couch and sent a puff of hair up towards her face. "Jefe sure does have a long road ahead him."

I picked at my fingernail polish, ignoring her warning words. "Yeah well, I don't plan on staying much longer. I have a shift tonight and its gonna take me thirty minutes back and forth to commute- he offered me one of his cars but I refuse to take any sort of help from him that doesn't strictly pertain to Lana." I lifted my nose snottily.

"Ooh, what kinda cars does he have?" Rosie inquired nosily. Seriously, did she ever have to wonder why people thought she was a gold-digger? Only the finer things in life ever caught her attention.

I tried to think back to his driveway, which was filled with cars. "An Escalade, a really small foreign-looking car-"

"Ferrari? Lambo? Bugatti? Porsche?" The car makes came flying out of her mouth faster than I could have spurted them out. I rolled my eyes at her, not really caring enough about his car collection to know the specifics.

"Not sure." I added noncommittally. "But I definitely do have a favorite." Though I still hated his guts, just a little less, I could admit when a man had good taste in cars. Though Escalades were horrible on gas mileage and sporty cars were not my thing, his last beauty was on the top of my I'm-in-love list. "It's a candy-cane red and white 64 Impala." I gushed just talking about it. Drop top, leather upholstery, cushioned seats, chromed everything… and I could just imagine Edward driving it, top down with some oldies station blaring, his bronze hair in the wind-

"Someone's won over." Rosie observed sassily. "Did you bring it today?"

"No!" I snapped out of my daze. Did she not have her hearing aides on today, or something? I just said I would never take something from him if I didn't have to! "I brought my bucket." I muttered lowly. "And plus, there's no seatbelts to attach Lana's safety seat."

Rosie sighed in frustration, her drawn-on eyebrows impeccable as they rose in my direction. "Christ, Bella- the least you can do is thank the man for what he's done! You know how these men are- any and every offer you decline is a real blow to their ego. Be grateful he's offered to take in both you and Lana, without even blinking."

I sat up, starting to feel my anger resurface. "We aren't a charity case in need of welfare or somethin'." I spat at her. "I can do just fine by myself- I _choose_ to let him help me."

She shook her head slowly at me, as if feeling pity. "Why do you gotta be so stubborn?"

"Because it's all I got left, Rosie, and that's the truth. I got Lana and my pride- I'd do anything in the world to keep it that way." Our conversation died after that, and it was my entire fault. She was my best friend that I could tell anything to, but I understood her need for quiet thought. Those weren't easy words to say or hear, but I only ever spoke the truth. I didn't have money, flashy cars, or flowing diamonds like her- hell I was still working a low-end bar and grill a few days a week (if that, at times), but my pride and Lana was enough for me. At least, it had been enough until I met Edward. He was this prominent figure in my life, the man with the most money and charisma I had ever been interested in- my luck _would_ be that he was my niece's uncle from another side of the family and a ruthless street thug.

"You know, Bella," Rosie put a consoling hand on my crossed legs, a grim smile on her done-up face, "I don't think he's after Lana _or _your pride." She pressed her lips together tighter, not sure if she should keep on that same direction of thought or just shut her mouth. But that was Rosalie's thing- she never went with the second option. "I'm not saying he's Romeo or some kinda Casanova, and I know he's not perfect because no man is ever close, but would it be so hard to just give him a chance? Give him the space to actually fuck up before you close the book on him- I'm asking that as a favor, friend to friend." My eyebrows drew together at her words- was she actually asking me to date him, or have romantic feelings about him? He was Erick's brother, a spawn of the devil! He was a criminal; he did wrong things for money! There was no way I'd ever be able to love someone like him. And even if I _was _twenty-two and supposedly at the age of "experimentation and exploration", I wasn't looking for anything that didn't have a long-run or a bright future. I had Lana to consider, and she didn't deserve to be confused or duped in any way.

"I _already_ have a boyfriend." I pointed out, hoping I wouldn't have to really explain my reasons to her. It was better that Rosalie thought I was afraid of commitment rather than afraid of the way Edward made me feel.

"That Newton kid? Stop kidding yourself, Bella, he's a boring nobody." Rosie's face scrunched up at the mention of my boyfriend, whom was very loyal and sweet to me for the last six months. "How the two of you lasted this long is a mystery to me." She crossed her arms snobbishly. "But he's safe- doesn't ever take you outta your comfort zone, right? All you ever date is safe, boring, stale, dull, lacking."

"Like that's a bad thing?" I snorted in her direction, pushing a few strands of flyway hairs before fully turning to her. "Look, some girls go for the bad boy thing, and that works for them." I wasn't talking about 'some girls', I was talking about _her_ and she knew it. "But I don't. I live in a world of steady income, paid taxes, driving the speed limit, lacking guns at our waists, doing the right thing… Edward's type doesn't belong with people like me."

Rosalie gave me a long, hard look. In all of our years being friends, she never regarded me the way she did in that moment. Like she was looking at me for the first time. "You're afraid, aren't you? Scared he's gonna love you?"

I scoffed haughtily. How dare she say something like that! I wasn't scared of shit, Edward included! "I'm not afraid of anything regarding that man! And if you _really_ knew Edward as well as you think, you'd know that he's incapable of love! He shouldn't ever deserve the right to say it out loud." I knew I was being overly-cruel with my words. Knowing that I should have stopped way back with my words I shut my mouth. He wasn't that much of a monster, but Rosie was pushing all of the right buttons and looked to be _enjoying_ it!

"You're scared _you're _gonna love him." Rosie and I didn't break eye contact for seconds on end. Had either of us blinked at all? It sure didn't feel like it. I wasn't sure what the appropriate response was to her declaration. Should I have adamantly refused her ridiculous words, or should I have laughed it off like I thought it was a joke? The look on her face let me know she wasn't playing at all, though I sure did wish she was. I was about to open my mouth, trying my hardest to come up with something intelligent and articulated to shut her up once and for all about my love life. "Don't even try, Bella, I'm your best friend. I know all, and I see all." She cracked a small smirk and stood up to her full height, which was just an inch or so beneath Royce when she wore those ridiculously tall heels. Why did Rosalie always know how to make me feel like the bad guy?

I supposed _that_ was the fine print on best-friend relationships. _Caution: allowing this friend to become a significant figure in your life will cause her to know your worst fears, darkest secrets, biggest wishes, oldest dreams, and exactly what to say to make you feel like the bad guy._ Only thing was, Rosalie didn't come with warning labels.

**000**

I spent most of my shift brewing a storm but smiled sweetly at customers and maintained the Sweet Bella façade for an entire evening. It wasn't until I locked the doors of "Spacer's Sports Bar & Grill" that I finally let it overtake me. I slammed the cheap chairs upside down atop the slimy tables, not caring what broke and what could be salvaged. Why did all of this have to be so complicated? It was so much easier when I simply hated him- once I got a glimpse of a softer, more caring version of him, all hope of ever disliking him like I did before flew out of the window. He wanted to take me and my niece in, how noble was that? It was just too much! I kicked at a rickety booth, sitting on halfway re-enforced stilts, and managed to stub my toe. It cried out in pain from my constricting tennis shoes, but it was what I felt like I deserved. Seriously, I was turning into a dreary, hopelessly delusional girl with no vision of ever returning to the strong-willed, independent Isabella Swan I wanted to be again. The Isabella that didn't seek gangster counsel or associate with anyone with harder crimes than jay-walking… where had she gone? "No need to take it out on the furniture."

I screamed loudly, covering my stubborn mouth with a clamped down hand. _Jesus Christ, was he trying to give me a heart attack? _"Michael!" I breathed a sigh of relief. If he had known the kind of week I had, he wouldn't have dared to sneak up and 'surprise' me like that!

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." He offered apologetically, grabbing a stained hand towel and working at a rather disgusting table with me. I sent him an appreciative smile and put more effort into erasing the condiment and sauce spills more than ever before- just thinking about Edward made me nervous. Michael and I had been on excellent terms for half of a year already, I knew him much longer than I had known Edward. Why did I no longer feel so safe around him? It was like my mind and body only wanted to trust Edward; it only wanted to rely on _him_. "What has you so jumpy, Bella? Is something wrong? Are you mad at something- maybe me?"

I shook my head, letting silence aide my answer as we finished the last two tables together before setting up the seats and heading out. He loved visiting me when I closed for the evening- Michael Newton worked a white collar job in the Business Pavilion off Cornell Street, as an administrative assistant to a big stockbroker in town. He knew I closed every Wednesday and Thursday and he never missed the end of the nightly clean sweep. I didn't get why he was so adamant in cleaning up with me, but it was a helping hand I couldn't refuse. Anything to get me home to my Lana sooner was a welcomed gesture in my book. "Why would I be mad at you?" I asked, almost twenty minutes later, as if it were weighing heavily on my mind. But it wasn't, I just couldn't take the silence as we walked to our cars.

"I don't know, sometimes you just are." Michael had that's-a-sweet-kid thing going for him, nothing near the sultry charisma Edward had, but I liked it. I gave him an involuntary smile and leaned in for our ritualistic goodnight hug and kiss. He returned both gestures without having to be directed, and he surprised me for once. Mike even went in for an ass grab, something he never did. I pulled away with a tiny noise, caught in between the medium of liking it and hating it. Why did it feel so wrong to be with someone I knew all about? He was safe, stable, and nice to a fault. Mike was everything I ever went for. "Whoa, I'm sorry, Bella! Bella, please don't be mad at me for that-" I shut him up with a harder kiss on his open mouth, praying to God that his lips would start to feel like what I imagined Edward's would feel like. Were they as stern and uncompromising as they looked, or would I be able to soften them with a few shifts of lips?

I basically had to thank Michael for turning me into an excellent kisser- it was all he ever wanted to do when we were together. He seemed to be entranced but I had a hard time keeping my eyes closed, not feeling all too frisky in his presence any longer. When I pressed against him, I didn't feel the barrel of a nine or a thirty-eight from the waist of his high-rise jeans, nor did he take the certain authority I began to crave. In pure frustration, I threw his shoulders back, pushing him against the door of his sleek Mercedes. I was never a fan of his Mercedes- it smelled far too new and clean to ever drive around Lana and her eating habits in the future. Michael was excited, obviously, as I pressed against him and dove in for his mouth again. But it wasn't him I was thinking about- I thought about Edward's hands, Edward's mouth, and Edward's hair I was running my fingers through. But parts of my fantasy world crumbled, piece by piece, as Michael began making louder sounds. Why did he have to speak? Couldn't he just let me blow off some steam in peace?

_Listen to yourself, Bella; you're being an inconsiderate bitch to the poor guy! Stop using him! He doesn't deserve_- I turned off the sensible voice in my head and yanked at Michael's hair in frustration and appeal, hoping to hear a moan but was met by a yelped "Ow!" instead. I hid a sarcastic eye roll from him as he shifted my hands from his sensitive scalp down to his waistband- wait, did he think we were headed towards that? I was about to rain on his parade, already feeling disgusted with my pathetic attempt at sating a thirst, when he grabbed me by my bottom and slammed my lower half into his, grabbing a hold of my neck with his mouth. The way he was sucking at the sensitive skin I was sure there was already a mark, but my mind shut off for a few blissful minutes. For once, this felt _good_. I let out a few tiny moans and couldn't help the name that came spewing from my lips when he found his peak against my leg. "_Edward_." I tried to bite my lip to stop the word from fabricating, but it was out there in the open before I could take it back.

Michael was breathing heavy, still not letting go of my neck quite yet. "What?" He asked at last. I searched his face for signs of anger or registration that I even said such a thing, but he was the oblivious beautiful twenty-four year old I cared for from afar.

I gave him a small kiss on his cheek and pulled away from his grasp, suddenly needing to be very far from him. "I said 'that hurts'- my toe, it still hurts." I lied easily, pointing down at my perfectly fine set of toes.

He nodded unevenly, obviously not buying the story but dropped it anyway. "So…um, did you- I mean, did, uh, you make it?" Michael wasn't a virgin, he told me so the first time we met, but he was not very skilled when it came to body language or the most obvious blinking signs in the world.

Again, I lied to him. "Of course I did." The unease on his face dropped as soon as I said it, though I wasn't sure any bed partner of his had ever "made it" with him. He snuck in a few more kisses before we parted ways, and I was never so glad to be cooped up in my tiny bucket. Anywhere away from him was alright with me! The entire encounter played out in my head time after time, making me feel more nauseous each and every time it replayed. It was supposed to help me out, ease some tension, blow off some steam- it only added more pressure to my situation and mental state instead. _Christ_, why did I go through with something like that? "Stupid, stupid Bella." I cursed at myself.

The ride home- err, back to Edward's house was a long one as I was too absent-minded when on the freeway. Taking the wrong exit made for a fifteen minute detour, so by the time I parked my bucket in his driveway, I was absolutely ready to pass out. Sleep was what I truly needed, but I would learn it was the last thing on anyone's mind.

I was making my way through the dimly lit first floor when a bright, florescent light flickered on and I was momentarily blinded. "Good evening, Bella." The way he said my name sounded like someone spitting nails, making for the most ominous moment in my entire life.

**A/N: DUN, DUN, DUN! What has poor Bella gotten herself into? And don't worry, Mike won't be in her life much longer (maybe a few chappies, or maybe more?)… if Mexican Edward has anything to say about it! **

**STILL loving those reviews! You guys rock. **


	6. I Will Fear No Evil

**A/N: my account was a little messed up and didn't show me the reviews for Chapter 4 or 5 for days on end! So I wasn't able to send my first 20 reviewers the sneak peak. Sorry! :/**

**Got a review saying there was too much slang ("ghetto talk") in my story to make it a satisfying read. I would suggest any reader that doesn't understand a word used out of context (or complete slang) to visit Urban Dictionary! I couldn't fit all of the quips Edward makes to translate it in an A/N. Read the closing statement for something exciting. **

"E-Edward? What's going on?" I held up the hand with my keys laced between fingers to shield my eyes until they adjusted to the flood of florescent lighting.

"How's work?" He said in one slow, long breath. I blinked a few times to get a clearer picture of him, but he wasn't even looking at me. His dark eyes were far off, as though he weren't even physically in the same room as me. I felt like a deer caught in headlights, and even though an appropriate response would have been _'It was good,'_ I just couldn't make myself say the words. My mouth was left agape but he didn't seem to notice. "I spent time with our Lana- _dios mio_, she's just like you."

My pulse quickened when he referred to her as 'our'. There was no chuckle or light smirk to his face, just deep-seeded anger that I was slowly starting to realize was due to me. But what had I done so wrong to him? Just eight hours ago, before my shift started, he walked me to my car and said a friendly farewell to me. What had changed so drastically from then to now? "That's… uh, good to hear." I swallowed noisily, not daring to move an inch closer to the staircase but wanting to bolt right out of there.

Had he been waiting the extra hour I had taken after completing my shift- right here in the kitchen in the dark, for _me_? Was that where his anger was coming from, because I was a little late? I never mentioned that I'd be on time or that he should wait up for me. He _offered_ to take care of Lana and tuck her in for me. If it was such a big deal then he should have just let me take her to Rosie's house like I had planned on! "Look, Edward, I'm beat. I'm just gonna head up to bed-"

"You got balls, I'll give ya that." His eyes flickered to me, cutting through the flesh of my face like razor-sharp teeth. I physically flinched at the fury in his tone and look, finally taking a cautionary step back. Was he high on something? Or drunk? But as he grew closer, I saw that his eyeballs were clean as day and there was no liquor on his breath. This was him sober, yet cuckoo as fucking can be! "Fuckin' on one man and then walkin' in our house like it's nothing." My jaw dropped to the floor at his revelation. My mind spun in so many directions at once that it made me dizzy. How could he have possibly known my love life with Michael? And why did he sound so betrayed by the truth? I was a single woman, even if I did have Lana in my life; I was able to have a personal life, with or without his consent! "Did he last a whole ten seconds, huh?" Edward grumbled menacingly, his hands reaching out for my face and locking it in his hold.

My hands automatically went for him, whether it was his face or his arms or his hair, and I clawed at him in fear. Even if I was overreacting, I would leave _nothing_ up to chance! He could and would easily kill me when the right moment came along- I wasn't going to make it any easier for him, and his DNA would be found in my fingernails in the case of my untimely death. "Get away! Get away from me!" I yelled at him, hoping he'd snap out of whatever fury he was in. This had nothing to do with Edward, just as his love life had nothing to do with me.

"I can give you everything- _everything_!" Edward bellowed crazily, his eyes larger than saucers. "Cars, money, a bigger house on the fuckin' bluffs if that's what you want- ain't enough for you, _bonita_?" He said the name with so much disdain that it made me feel dirty and used up. His fingers gripped harder on my face and peered down despite my attempts to claw him apart- Edward was so unfazed by everything I was doing, like he couldn't even feel a thing. "It's never enough for bitches… spoiled, beautiful _putas _like you." My throat constricted dangerously. I said the same about my sister her entire life. She got everything she wanted and did as she pleased, merely because she had a pretty smile and a nice ass.

"What the fuck are you-" He cut me off with a searing kiss against my lips, but it wasn't romantic or tender like I imagined our first full-on lip lock would be. It was bruising with a short amount of patience, as though he were putting every mean thought and particle of fury into it. I finally pulled away when I found my mouth _wanting_ to move against his- how traitorous could one body be to its owner?

"You'd give up _this_," he gestured to the house, and Lana if I was assuming right, "for one little fucker like _him_?" The thought of what his words meant seemed to piss him off all over again. "_Pinche perra_!" He screamed down at me, fighting his way between kissing and strangling me. I was watching this man lose his mind and a deep-rooted, almost foreign part of my brain kicked in. It spoke for me, acted for me, and even saved me.

"I'm not giving up anything!" I screamed back at him.

"Not how I see it." Edward hissed back at me, our eyes locked in a heated match. I wanted to stab him every inch of his face with a serrated blade and it felt like he wanted to do the very same right back. "Got me up waitin' for you- and the homie I sent to swoop you up lets me know you got a little fuck boy jacking off on you!" He was screaming on top of his lungs, so loud that I was sure the neighbors could hear our business.

My face burned with embarrassment. I wanted to be indignant with a _'That's not what happened!'_ but he exactly summed up the entire shindig. We kissed and he masturbated. That was it. I stilled for a moment and stared angrily back up at him, not denying a word of what he was saying. For a moment, a flash of sadness passed over his hellishly gorgeous face before it got screwed up in bitterness once more. "Not even gonna deny it?" Edward let the fury of hell unleash unto me with his voice, which could have burned asphalt.

I shook my head slowly, thinking of all the different routes I could take from here.

One route was denying everything, which was what female Swans were excellent at. Deny, deny, deny and it will all go away. Another route was furthering this useless argument by reminding him that my life didn't revolve around what _Jefe_ liked. But was there a third route I could take? There was always the third route- appeasement, swallowing pride, sweeping it under the rug. It was never the answer before, but Edward was unlike any one else I had ever met. He obviously already had it in his head that we were some sort of family or foster couple- what would it hurt to appease his hurt pride? I knew he didn't care for me so hard so soon. It was simple male ego- the fact was that I let Michael get a taste of something Edward knew he'd never have a whiff of hurt his pride.

"He didn't mean anything." I put on my best puppy dog look, watering my eyes in frustration but playing it off as remorse. Sure, that was probably the most used line in the book. What else was I suppose to come up with, being put on the spot and all? "_This_ means everything to me," I let my body go limp in his embrace, my facial features softening against his iron-like hands, "you gotta know that, Edward." Was I really trying to play a player? _Your pathetic, Bella, he's gonna see right through you_, my sardonic inner voice slithered. If it worked, I supposed I was in line to write a memoir about the entire event- and if it didn't work, I would either be killed or skinned alive for trying to pull a fast one on him. But he just stood there, painfully silent and contemplative as he looked into my plain brown eyes some more. It was half true; Newton didn't mean much to me and was nonexistent according to Lana. But I had no idea what I meant by 'everything' in regards to _here_. His home, his money, his body- none of those things meant jack shit to me! So why did it feel so right to tell him the lie?

Was it perhaps because being around him in his element almost felt… right? "You and Lana- that's it." I couldn't believe the greasy lies that were slipping from my lips. Him and Lana… since when? "_Our_ family in _our_ home, that means everything to me. No side piece can ever come between that." _You really are a piece of work, Bella! Did you really just refer to your __actual__ boyfriend as a 'side piece', a whore? _I shut my eyes in a final attempt at salvaging the remaining sanity within me. I was going to hell for this, wasn't I? Edward was going to start swinging or screaming any moment now at my horrible attempt at fooling him! I was a feeble lamb in a lion's den and he knew it.

But Edward disturbed me, further than any creep on my old block or drunken jerk at my job ever had. He let go of my face and wrapped his arms around my middle and crushed me to him, whispering little sayings into my hair as he did so. My body froze on cue. What. The. Fuck. Was. Happening. For the first minute I stood still as possible and didn't even touch him, in fear that I'd upset the bran new mood he found himself in. Edward wasn't smiling or anything, but I could just feel the crazed sizzle in his demeanor disperse as he held onto me. No man had ever hugged my waist so tightly or kill minutes on end speaking incoherently into my hair and neck, it was so foreign to me.

_Do you know how many other women would kill to be in your shoes? Take advantage of it, Bella, relish in the victory of your deceitfulness,_ a slithery voice whispered in my mind. Was I no better than my own sister, who told men exactly what they wanted to hear in order to get what she wanted? It was such a moral dilemma, telling the hurtful truth or a mending lie! I knew Edward wanted to hear that Michael was nothing and _we_ were everything- in that moment, I didn't see the harm in entertaining his ideals. But now I was feeling the aftereffects of my lies and exaggerations, and it was almost more putrid than my worst hangover.

_You couldn't have done anything else; he looked ready to kill you and perhaps even take it out on baby Lana! You did the right thing, you salvaged what you could! Have pride in yourself, Isabella- you did what a woman has to do, _my mother's voice seemed to be all around me as she praised what I had done. Imagining that she would have been proud of the fast-thinking I was capable of, I finally draped my arms around his shoulders in return, earning a throaty moan from in response.

Did this sort of thing get him off or something? Maybe he was one of those guys that needed to be needed? If I ever spoke to Newton like this about 'us', 'our family', and 'it meaning everything' he'd be running for the hills! No man in their right mind wanted a woman with issues like mine along with a four year old attached at her hip, and they sure as hell wouldn't fight for her against some other fool. Moments like these made Edward seem less and less human to me- some might have considered him an ordained Saint, given they knew nothing of his criminal activities or his many run-ins with the law. "He's done, _bonita_." Edward muttered into my throat, and it was the only thing I could understand from the jumble of paragraphs he was muttering into my skin.

"Shh." I shushed him promptly, circling my arms tighter around him in return. The less he thought of Michael Newton, the better. I would never forgive myself if something happened to that poor guy! "I'm here with _you_, that's what matters." I reminded him softly.

"No, he grabbed on you-" he started to flare himself up again, his voice no longer a whisper, "_he _signed his death wish. I'm gonna put a fuckin' bullet right in-" I didn't want to hear anything about death wishes or bullets or guns, I couldn't take it. So I pressed myself closer to him and touched lips, ever so gently, and relished in the feel of his skin on mine in a softer manner than before.

"You're not a killer," I lied through my teeth, "baby." Jesus Christ, did I just call him _baby_? I was becoming a real fucking bimbo, wasn't I? I really didn't have to go that far with my pretending, that was just foolish to verbalize! "You're a good guy, I can see it. For me and Lana." It burned my tongue like a spicy lick when I used Lana in my plea. She wouldn't mind her name being used to save an innocent fellow, would she? He kissed me again, this time sucking hard on my bottom lip until I moaned out in pleasure. Did it seem too soon for me to be giving him a pet name? Edward came off as this hard-ass, no nonsense evil criminal the first time I heard of him, but the more I got to know him the less I knew. He was something out of this world and whether or not that was a good thing was still undecided.

"Aunnie?" My name was followed by a choked sob. At the voice of my niece I yanked myself out of his embrace and scooted my body feet away from him- _you stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid skank! How could you forget there was a four year old responsibility hanging around?_ "You were gone and then yelling and crying and…" she trailed off, not sure where to go after that.

I made it clear to Edward with just one look that I was going to handle this. He had done more than enough for one night! "Lana, baby." I cooed lovingly down at her, sweeping her into my embrace and brining her to my chest. Her eyes were wide and red-rimmed, as though she had been crying for hours. "I'm here." Those two words worked like magic with her, but not this time. She still looked weary and frightened, two things I wasn't used to seeing on her. "Did you hear me and Uncle Edward arguing?" I pointed out the elephant in the room.

She nodded slowly, her expressive hazel eyes darting to Edward for just a second. "I don't wanna leave, Aunnie, I don't wanna!" Lana cried out, her bottom lip wobbly and snot trickling down her nostril. "I don't wanna leave! Please don't make us leave!" Her body was hoisted up by my encircled arms, but her legs clung around my left hip for dear life. Where she suspect we were going? I hadn't ever said anything about leaving while in her company, even when speaking to Rosie! I was careful, I knew what could be overheard by a four year old. She turned her head to Edward, tears pouring down her little heart-shaped face. "Please, _tio_, please! I'm sorry!"

The heartbroken tone of her voice made my insides churn; why was she in so much agony? Our argument had consisted of nothing but personal, grown up problems. What would make her feel so inclined to beg and plead Edward of anything? And the apology- just what was that all about? I took a few steps to the high counter of the kitchen and sat her down gently, brushing a few wild tendrils away from her face. "Lana, what's wrong? Why are you sorry?" I didn't even have to look behind me to see Edward, I could just feel his presence- it was like my body had formed an Edward Detector, and so every time he came close it went off like alarm bells in my mind.

"You and tio were fighting and-" she hiccupped severely, her whole body shifting with the motion, "I-it's al-all my f-f-fault!" Lana could barely make legible sentences between her sobs and teary voice. I had never felt so shitty and bottom-feeder ever- one stupid fight with Edward cost me _this_!

Flashes of my own childhood, wherein my mom and dad fought nonstop went through my mind- and more than once, Liz and I had to dry each other's tears when we'd eavesdrop on something we weren't ever supposed to hear. Dad once turned to us, we could have only been five and seven, and told us the reason Rene had kicked him out one weekend was solely our fault- that we weren't good enough kids and were basically worthless. Looking back now, I could see all of the crazy mind games and sheer ludicrousness of my parents, but when I was seven years old it really did feel like it was all my fault.

With tears in my eyes, I took my niece's hand in my own and wiped at one of the dozen little diamonds falling down her face. A tanned, much larger hand covered my own atop Lana's digits- my body stiffened at the way such an innocent act on his part suddenly felt so intimate. "Nothing is your fault, _mijita_." There was a gentle severity in his voice, which was thickened with emotion. What would his fellow street thugs think of him if they say him acting this way? He'd probably lose all street cred and revert to Jehovah Witness or something. "Me and your _tia _were talking- that's it, just a issue we handled." I could assume that his day spent with her meant he explained all of his Spanish to her, else she wouldn't have been so understanding with 'tio' and 'tia' all of a sudden. "I got so much love for you…" He took a deep breath and placed his other hand on the other side of the counter, locking my body against his. We were content like that, Lana sitting on the counter in front of us and my back pressed up against Edward's front. It was almost like… we were some twisted kind of perfect family, if just for that moment.

"Your uncle and I love you very much, Lana- we wouldn't ever do anything to hurt you. This- me and him arguing- will never be your fault, okay?" I looked down at her, trying to instill as many trust particles as I possibly could. The last thing I ever wanted to do was hurt her… I would cut off my own right hand to make sure nothing bad ever happened to her!

"_I _make bad shit kick rocks- fighting ain't got nothing to do with you, capiche?" I rolled my eyes- didn't he know 'capiche' was Italian? I didn't know the specifics of the Cullens ethnic background, and neither did I need to know, but Lana would ask sooner or later and I figured sometime soon was best to get an answer. Edward broke it down in gangster terms for our niece, which infuriated me to no end. Did he _want her_ to speak in double negatives, slang, and gangster terms?

Lana pressed her shaking lips together and gave a slow, hesitant nod. "So- so you're not gonna make us go?" Her hazel opals were shining and so full of hope- hadn't I promised myself that I would do whatever it takes to make sure she was always kept that look in her eyes?

Edward barely contained a growl at the sadness and pain inside of our niece's voice. "Listen, kid," he held both of our connected hands tighter before going on, "this will always be _your _house- don't matter if me and your _tia _are beefing or mad at each other, this is your place." He spoke with so much soul and so much conviction that I almost started to believe him my damn self. Was that his skill, speaking? I had wondered, over the last few months, just exactly how he got out of all the sticky situations he found himself in. Either this was the truth or he was such an excellent liar that he started believing his own material! "You kick _me _out, aight?" His last statement brought a smile to her lips.

Lana sniffed loudly, rubbing the back of her hand to wipe the dripping snot away. "Okay, tio." She turned towards me and batted her eyelashes sweetly, making me forget all about the earlier problems I faced with Michael and Edward. She was the reason I was here, she was the light at the end of the tunnel. That's all I had to keep in mind, and I would make it.

**A/N: LOVED writing this chapter. So many feels! PLUS- if I reach 30 reviews by the end of tonight I'll upload the next chapter in the morning! **

**Translation:**

**Puta: whore **

**Pinche perra: fucking bitch**

**Dios mio: Oh my! **

**Tio: uncle **


	7. My Dirty Street Thug

**A/N: what would I do without my reviewers? You guys seriously are the very best! here's what the rest of the night looked like for the Swan-Cullen family.**

**By The Way- hopefully I responded to everyone that reviewed chapter 4 and 5? You guys deserve to be appreciated! And hopefully I cleared up any confusion/problems. **

"You feeling better now?" I lifted my lips in a feigned smile. I would do anything to ease her frazzled nerves and make her feel safe again, even if it meant pretending that the entire night had been a breeze. She nodded softly and scooted closer to me, as if gesturing to be carried. I rolled my eyes in a mocking manner but lifted her up anyway. "And we're sorry for talking so loud- we promise not to wake you up again, alright?" She didn't say anything in return, just a swift nod before she laid her head against my shoulder. My mouth ran away with words, didn't it? Since when had I ever spoke in terms of 'we' anyway; for the last three years and some change, I had been doing things single-handedly, never looking to anyone for assistance or advice.

But as I walked towards the stairs with Lana in my arms Edward suddenly appeared right beside me, matching me step for step. After cleaning each table until I saw my reflection, my arms and shoulders were so sore that carrying my tiny niece suddenly felt like ten potato sacks on my chest. I grimaced with each step I ascended, suddenly detesting the 'princess stairs' as Lana deemed them. "Lemme help." Edward brushed my insolence off with a slight shift of shoulders, handling Lana as though she were a feather in his palm. If only I were buff and machine-like, I wouldn't ever need a man to do my work for me… my eyes did an involuntary flutter as he caught my look red-handed. Was it okay to look at that man in such a way? Just moments before her breakdown, we were fondling each other and heavily making out- that warranted me the privilege to look as I pleased, right?

We laid her in bed, tucked her in, and said our drawn-out goodnights before dimming her bedside lamp and walking back out into the hallway; my fingers were twisting themselves in knots just thinking about what earlier meant. Edward seemed so serious and dead set about all of this, but just how much was the truth and how much was little white lies to appease Lana? I swallowed nervously as I walked towards my room, just a hallway down from Lana, and tried to practice slow breathing when his footsteps could be heard just behind mine. If I ran into my room and shut the door fast behind me, he'd get the hint and go away, right? I mean, anything was better than having to look into his face and tell him no. I took a large step forward and reached for the door when he drew my hand to him, taking me along with it. My mouth opened wide in surprise at the lurch, but he was nothing near playful as his lips sought my own.

After a few seconds of doing nothing in hopes that he was just here for a goodnight kiss, I started moving against him- I finally gave a solid push against his chest that sent him back only a few inches, but just enough for me to think clearly again. Seriously, he was an addictive man! The way he smelled, the way he spoke, the way he kissed… it was all so overwhelming. "So we strangers again." It wasn't a question, it was a statement and Edward's voice was not loving nor seductive, but rough and callous. I almost preferred him as the scramming maniac rather than the severely quiet predator he was being now! When I didn't say anything in return, he let out a loud noise from deep within his chest and pushed off of me. I gnawed on my lower lip, contemplating just what it was that I needed to do. He was not going to be invited into my room, even if he owned the place and paid the bills. That was the first thing he'd have to get off of his mind!

"Edward…" I warned him softly. This was not the time nor place to get into this! "Can't we have this talk tomorrow? I really am tired-" I held my hands up in surrender, hoping he'd take this for what it was and not run with it. Who knew the type of shit that ran through his head? I wanted him to know this had nothing to do with Michael or my work or personal feelings. This was strictly business- he could respect that, couldn't he?

But he cut me off rudely. "What's to talk about?" The street thug crept back into his voice and gone was the loving, understanding, sophisticated man I enjoyed having around. He had his guard back up, and there was no way getting over the fence he was building. "You do what you gotta do, I'll do what I gotta do." His eyes, those pretty green things, were hard like stone and his demeanor was colder than Spacer's storage freezer.

We were still so near to one another, but it was suddenly like there was an ocean between us. "So it's like that now?" I asked haughtily, my arms crossed.

"Yeah, it's like that." Edward spat in return.

"_Fuck _you." The two words spilled out of my mouth before I could stop them- before these last few days, I had never turned to mindless cussing as a way of expressing myself. I used to think it was immature and unsophisticated, but dealing with Edward opened my mind to so many new words and feelings that the only way to describe my pain, hurt, confusion, fatigue, and anger was in those two little syllables. Without explaining myself, I turned on my heel and went for the door knob again, resolving to just forget about this entirely shitty night with a lot of beauty sleep and maybe a glass of wine.

I had no such luck. "Fuck me?" He slammed the door shut before I could walk through, wedging himself in the space between my body and my sanctuary. Did he enjoy being this close to me all of the time? "You think you're gonna tell _me _to fuck off and then sleep in the bed _I _bought, under the roof _I _pay for?" The look in his eyes was delirious with frustration, as though I were a pest he had no way of getting rid of.

I snatched my arm from his grasp and poked a finger into his chest. "Did I ever ask for any of it? I told you not to hang that shit over my head!" I tried to keep my voice down for Lana's sake but he was making it so difficult. "How about I leave then?" I let the threat hang in the air, knowing he'd have to make his decision right then and there- either shut his big ass mouth about what he 'paid for' or let me walk out the door without another look in his direction. Even in my angered state, I knew Lana and I had it good here in his house- the longer we stayed, the more money I could put aside and then we'd never have to depend on another person for the rest of our lives. Until then, I would have to deal with Edward's little games.

But even in my strategy, I refused to let a man try to put something like that over my head. I wasn't a mute broad or some scared little girl; I deserved better than to be treated like a hoe plucked from the track or a bitch pulled off the pole! Edward let out a long breath before correcting his demeanor, a softer look coming over him. "I already told you, you don't gotta leave- this is yours and Lana's joint." I didn't say anything in return, I merely glared him down with tightly crossed arms. Was I suppose to jump for joy, or something? Words were nice and all, but I wouldn't believe it until I saw my name on the lease! "Look- my bad, aight?" When I still said nothing back, he shot a hand through his hair and slammed the other against the wall.

I jumped a foot in the air and perched my ears up in worry- when I didn't hear Lana or her small footsteps, I turned back to him. "What's your fuckin' problem? Are you trying to upset Lana tonight on purpose?"

"What's my fuckin' problem?" He parroted the question aloud, a maniacal grin covering his flawless face one moment before it twisted in anger again. "_You_- you're my problem!"

"Oh, I'm the problem now? You're a real god damn headache, you know that?" I shoved at him in frustration, not knowing what else to do. "What, 'cause I don't wanna fuck you? That's your issue with me?" The house was so quiet you could hear everything going on outside as if it were on an intercom- our chests were heaving up and down with the suppressed anger we were building up since earlier. One of us was bound to explode, I only hoped Lana wouldn't be around to see it. "If you hadn't fucked around with so many hoes in your life, you'd know how a woman, a _real _woman, handles herself!" I shoved him again, this time harder. "I don't open my legs for dirty street thugs-"

He yanked me by the nape of my neck, slamming his mouth against mine in a bruising manner- I moaned in both pleasure and frustration, running my hands over his face and through his hair much harder than necessary. But unlike Michael, he didn't cry out or pull away, it only made his tongue go deeper. We moved against each other like that for what felt like endless minutes, only breaking away to catch our breaths. I refused to meet his gaze, instead pulling my eyes down to the wooden floors- I was suppose to be angry, pissed off, and outraged by his actions, but I was feeling just the opposite.

It wasn't fair the way his body and just his mere presence could make my entire being go off like a siren… it was uncontrollable, and I couldn't afford to make a colossal mistake like that. "Dated so many pussies you ain't never been handled right." He whispered into the shell of my ear, his hands like coaxing ghosts over the chest of my shirt, touching but not touching at all. I let out the tiniest moan when his lips wrapped fully around my left earlobe, sucking gently as though my skin tasted like honey. "When I get between those legs, if it's my face or my _verga_…" I had no idea what he meant, but when his pelvis grinded into my lower belly with his very obvious bulge at attention, I got the picture, "and I put this on _mi clica_," he muttered against my cheek, his wandering hand skimming over the crotch of my tight jeans where heat was pooling already, "…it's a dirty street thug that made you cum with your clothes on when your _guero _couldn't."

My throat went dry at his words. Why did everything he say have to sound so rough and edgy? I balled my shaking hands into fists, refusing to moan out loud when his fingers started playing with the fabric of my cotton button-up shirt. We still hadn't made eye contact, though he had no problem kissing his way down my ear and up towards my forehead. "No." I muttered before shifting away from him ever so slightly, trying but failing to get away from his infectious presence for the night. I needed space and time to think over everything- our kissing, my lies, his exaggerations, and how Lana fit into every scenario. But he pulled me back, this time forcing his way into my line of sight- I focused on a faded beauty mark on his face as he directed his lips down towards mine, turning away at the last minute to avoid another one of those ridiculously beautiful touch of lips. "I need to rest." I huffed at last, trying to get away from the desires he was applying.

"Tell me you ain't mad no more." It was spoken so softly that I almost missed the underlying command. I shifted my eyes away from him completely, intent on staring at the doorknob for the rest of eternity if it meant not looking his way. "Ay- c'mon, lemme know you still ain't mad." Edward pressed his puckered lips on the corner of my mouth as a gesture to speak, but I was stubbornly still not wanting to meet his eyes. But he was persistent in his method, turning to giving me little butterfly kisses all over my face. When he reached the space between my jaw and ear, I let out an involuntary giggle, immediately hating myself for it_. Good job Bella, you look real angry giggling everywhere_, I chastised myself. He caught on quick and turned all focus on the area, showering me with dozens of kisses before the giggles turned into laughter- this man would be the death of me, whether it was by giggles or not.

"Alright!" I choked out, not quite able to contain the giddiness in my voice. He knew this wasn't over and I was far from happy, but my feigned joy was so contagious that even he had a smirk on his face. "Alright, I'm not mad anymore!" It was a lot like when Liz and I used to play Mercy as children… just like Edward, she knew all of my weak spots and put them to use whenever inclined.

"_Muy_ _bien_." He smirked wider before completely releasing me. I immediately went for the door, and it was almost closed behind me when his foot shot out to block it. "_Duerme con los angeles, bonita_." It was beautiful, the way he said to me- it felt perversely loving and gentle, as though he were Romeo or Casanova or Don Juan, as if he knew who either of those characters were. He knew not to call me sexy, wifey, boo, a 'bad bitch' or any of those ridiculous tags women and men alike saw as compliments these days. I tried to decipher what he meant but he was gone down the hallway before I could ask what he said- just as well, I needed lots of shuteye and plenty of alone time.

So why did I spend the rest of the night lying down in bed, eyes wide open, thinking of only him?

**A/N: Would anyone be interested in beta'ing in for me? Please PM me if interested. love the support and positive feedback I'm getting for this story. **

**Translations:**

**Mi Clica- my gang (slang)**

**Verga- dick (slang)**

**Guero- white boy**

**Muy Bien: very good**

**Duerme Con Los Angeles, Bonita: sleep with the angels, beautiful **


	8. I Was Raised By The Glock Nine

**A/N: So I figured I should put the translations in the beginning, seeing as you'll be needing them often!**

**Carnal- slang for friend**

**Hermano/Hermana- brother/sister**

**Vieja- old lady (slang for girlfriend )**

**Guera**_**- **_**white girl**

**Placasso- hood name**

**Pendeja- stupid ass**

**Varrio- slang for neighborhood**

**Estupida Puta- stupid little whore**

**Vato- guy, friend**

**Skonka- nasty woman (skunk)**

**Cuete- gun**

**Perra- bitch**

_Six Years Ago__**-**_

"Let's go, Lizzy." I muttered down to my sister, hoping beyond hope that she'd bore of this putrid place and have the want to attend one of the other countless parties she was invited to that night. Looking back, I could see how things had gone so wrong so fast- but at sixteen, I was not so sophisticated as to realize when the end of the world was upon me. "C'mon, Liz- I'm serious, let's dip." I tugged on her arm roughly, sending her frail body back towards me.

"Stop being such a fuckin' downer, Bella! Jesus, I shouda left you home." Lizzy struck me with words, like she always did. I rolled my eyes at her crossed tone- she knew mom and dad would have never let her come alone to a party, never mind the fact that it was a party past Third street. "Just chill, alright? I'm waiting for Spade to show up and then we can leave." Her glossy lips in anticipation when she said the name "Spade", and I had to contain another eye roll. Erick Cullen, better known as _Spade _on the block, was the sunlight to my sister's life during that period of time- he was utterly perfect to her, and the two of them were always so drawn to each other. It didn't matter where we were, or what group of friends we were with, their eyes were always on each other.

"Yeah? And what are you gonna do when he shows up? Stand there and drool all over yourself like last ti- ouch, you cow! What's that for?" I yanked my arm away from hers, rubbing the reddening skin of my wrist. "We really should-" my offer was interrupted but two men bumping into us, almost knocking me right on my ass. Lizzy had an automatic response ready for either one of them, her bitch face on nice and tight. But before she could even try, the shorter one yanked his friend to a standing position and turned to her next- I was a forgotten heap of underage delinquency to the left.

Her threat died at her lips, instead let her mouth hang open in shameless atrocity. We were young, but my sister looked at him the way a banker might have looked at the vault- I could see it in her eyes, something switched off and something else switched on. "Want some help?" There was an edge to his voice, like all of his masculinity was being used in that one sentence. She only nodded, a flirty smile taking over her face as he helped her standup. He showered my sister with so much care and attention that I fooled myself into believing she had found the one. I suppose we were both fooled. "I'm Spade, this Solo." I almost cringed at the street talk he had, but Lizzy only smiled wider and shook hands politely, then prompted me with one look to do the same.

Looking back, I suppose I had known Edward a little more than I previously thought, I just didn't know it. He had lots of nicknames on the streets and he didn't show his face a whole lot. As aforementioned, Liz wasn't able to leave the house unless she took her little sister with her- so I was dragged to every house party, kickback, hood gathering, and any other place Spade was. And where Spade was, Jefe was- a fact that I later would realize was true because they were blood brothers, gangsta boys that stuck together no matter what.

"_He shares a room with Jefe," Lizzy gushed, as though she were so proud. "Damn, Bella, both of them are hella cute!" I rolled my eyes at the way she was talked about Spade's roommate. "Brothers, too. If I wasn't already fucking with Spade I would be up on Jefe- but anyways," Liz went back to painting her toenails, "they have their own spot, and a car! Spade's a dope dealer." The wicked smile on her cherry red lips was making me sick. Why couldn't she see how pathetic this was? How could a girl be proud of her boyfriend selling drugs to helpless addicts, causing further corruption to the streets of Detroit? Drugs killed people, and dope dealers acted as the gun put to a drug abuser's lips. _

"_A real catch." I replied, sarcasm dripping from my words like a scissor to paper._

_Lizzy scowled at me. "Don't be such a geek! Spade's a good guy, ya know." She wiggled her square-ish toes happily before closing the nail polish seal- I pushed her off the perch of my bed, but she merely slid to the carpeted floor easily. "I think I love him, Bella." Back then that was a weird thing to hear coming from her lips, and so I was shocked into silence for a minute or so. Love? Who knew Lizzy the Terrible was capable of living someone other than herself? "I mean it- it's like he completes me."_

"_But why __**him**__, of all people?" I said the last word with disdain and contempt, so much so that she noticed it right off the bat._

_She snapped her head in my direction like a whip. "Look, I take enough shit about him from Dad- chill out about it, alright? I didn't go out and say 'I wanna fall in love with the thuggish guy out there', it kinda just happened." Liz brought her knees up to her chest and rested her chin on them, looking around at my stuffy room. "Maybe one day you'll know what I mean, B, maybe." She trailed off._

"_Me? Yeah right!" I spat back indignantly. "Boys like Spade and that Jefe are __**not **__my type." I heard that name often, though I never had a definitive face to put to it. There was also Spider, Guap, Solo, Tigre, and others that all began to look the same. "I like good guys, the right kinda guys. Not busters and bad boys."_

_Liz rolled her big eyes. "It's because you're a scaredy cat. You only wanna date the white losers you go to school with." I wanted to remind her that we went to the same school and she had dated boys there before she ever got a taste for the Mexican bad boys. "And Spade isn't a buster- he's the real deal! He says him and his brother have guns hidden in the floors and in the walls. And there's this really cool gun they got from their grandpa under Jefe's side of the bed! Who else can say that?" She said pointedly, a proud smile on her lips._

_I sent her a dirty look. "Who would __**want **__to say that?" _

_Lizzy sighed in exaggeration but let the argument die on her lips when our mother's voice called to us from the kitchen for dinner. We were always on our best behavior on the nights when we wanted to get out of the house, that day was no different. _

"You bring a homegirl for my _carnal_?" Spade said between kisses, not even acknowledging my presence.

We were beneath the stop sign of Destore and Third Street, where we always met. It wasn't too far from the house, but once we went over Prembsly Bridge and touched the boundary of lower Southside, it made all the difference. These houses had broken fences, chained dogs roaming yellow grasses, bars on the windows, junk piled in front yards and in the gutters. "No, baby- I told you, my girls are too shy for your homies." I wanted to roll my eyes at the way she said 'homies'- she could have just said them by their names, she probably already slept with half of them!

I shifted nervously on the other foot, catching Spade's eye in an instant. "Who's this?" He eyed with me wary, as though I were a virus he were in fear of catching.

Lizzy turned towards, her doting smile gone and a rotten look setting in place. "No one, just Bella." The anger and frustration of her situation was directed solely at me in that moment. Didn't she know I hated being here just as much as she hated me being here?

"_Bella_?" He said my name weirdly, making it sound more like 'bay-ya", before cracking a small smirk. "Nice name, kid." It almost sounded mocking the way he said it, whether because he thought it was a nickname or an awful waste of a real name on someone like me. I wasn't conventionally pretty- I was too thick around my waist and hips, had thick, unruly hair, and my smile wasn't all that straight. The complete opposite of my sister.

"Yeah well, anything's better than being named after a deck of cards." I shot back at him, stuffing my hands in my pockets. I didn't like him, straight out.

Lizzy growled at me, her teeth baring like a canine- I was sure she was going to attack me, but Spade called her off like a dog's master. He laughed at me, or down at me, and I bristled in my large parka. It was too cold out to play tag-a-long to my sister and her criminal boyfriend; I could have been nice and cozy in bed, watching ratchet reality TV or an old movie. "Kid's got jokes, eh?" Spade shoved one of his hands in the back pocket of Liz's skin tight jeans and the other went to the joint hanging from his lips.

"I'm not a kid!" I grumbled back indignantly, staying a step behind them as we made our way to wherever the hell he was taking us this time. But like always, it was a house party- anything was better than sitting around a smoke-filled house, music blaring, neighbors banging on the walls, girls puking everywhere, and guys constantly trying to get a piece of ass.

"She's a fuckin' nerd." Liz muttered angrily, not even glancing back at me to check if I was following or even listening.

"Ever had a hood nigga?" He threw the question at me, without even looking my way. I almost blanched at the casual way he said that word. Was it so normal for him to say a derogatory thing like that? I wrapped my coat around me tighter and clenched my chattering teeth, deciding to stay quiet for now. My cheeks were flushed with the cold winter's chill, but a cluster of new, raw emotions were bubbling up to the surface. These types of men didn't know the first thing about love and even if they did, they never spoke of it in front of others. I wanted happiness and marriage and a forever with someone, just like every other girl- not necessarily right now, but I knew I wanted it someday. I didn't see of these guys willing or wanting to share that with me.

"_Hermano_!" A voice, deep and dark, spoke from the other side of the street- between the dense fogginess of Detroit and the shadows of a setting sun, I couldn't make out just who was calling. So far I had met Solo, Guap, Tigre, and a few other less prominent gang bangers- most of them gave me the creeps and I tried not to be in their presences alone at any given time. It wasn't that I thought I was better or anything, but they scared the shit out of me and rightly so.

"_Carnal_!" Spade called back, deserting us two girls as he rushed towards the taller, older version of himself. They looked so alike with their similar slicked back hair, the ends of their raven locks nearly touching the back of their necks as they embraced each other with an odd looking handshake/hug. He was wearing a dark blue jeans, the waistline sagging just a few inches further than the norm- his overly long black shirt wasn't V-neck or collared like the guys I talked to, but it was crewneck and adorned with a thin gold chain around his neck. My heart did a weird pitter patter at the way they stalked towards us, as if this entire neighborhood and everyone in it belonged to them entirely. "My _vieja_," Spade gestured to my sister, who giggled happily at her pet name, which she told me later meant his old lady (what was complimentary about being referred to as an 'old lady'?), "and her _hermana_." He said my name funny again, this time not missing a beat as I huffed from behind Liz.

"_Una peda_?" The stranger shot the statement at me, which could have been a question or a command I would have never known, but I averted my gaze before he had the chance to catch my eyes. Why was he talking to me? I would just die if this was the homeboy I was suppose to be paired up with. As if Liz hadn't already shared the secret that I was virgin already! "That one don't talk or what?" The hardness in his voice was enough to make my shields go up on notice, though I still didn't look his way. This wasn't where I wanted to be, he wasn't someone I wanted to talk to, and I was scared… I bit down on my lip to keep the rude words in check. I would backtalk Spade any day of the week because I knew that even if he did want to kill me, my dad knew his name and number. This new guy, whomever he was, had nothing to lose. "_Bonita Guera_." The stranger nudged my shoulder with a stern movement, as if he demanded a response but how did he expect me to respond if I didn't know what he was saying?

"_Guera_, ay!" Spade called over at me with a smirk, and I couldn't help but look up and send him a dirty look. He turned and smirked at my sister before licking the side of her face and yanked her to him. Didn't she feel even just a little awful for being treated like a piece of meat in front of all these people? "Looks like you got a _placasso_."

"What's a 'wedda'? Or a 'pluh-caso'?" I asked snottily, my bitch face coming over my features. It almost sounded European on my lips, and kind of nice, but the look Spade and his companion sent me before cracking up in unabashed laughter sent me in recluse. Even Liz, who knew less Spanish than me, laughed along with them.

"_La Gringa _instead?" The stranger laughed once more at the flush that covered my face- I knew what that meant, he was calling me a no-good white girl! Before I could chew him out for his folly, he was called in the tiny, squarish house by another carnal.

I turned on Spade and my sister. "Yeah well, sorry I don't speak Cholo!" I shot back angrily.

The light-hearted look on Spade's face dropped quickly and Liz looked almost ready to jump in front of me, which was not an instinct she ever had. "We're not buster ass cholos, _pendeja_!" Spade growled angrily over at me, Liz's arms wrapped tightly around him. "Don't fuckin' mistake us fa' cholos, surrenos, nortenos- _Cliqua Tres _on mine! I rep that shit all day, ev'ry day!" Spit was forming on the side of his mouth as he advanced towards me, a wild look in his insanely deranged eyes. I took a cautionary step back, not liking the scenarios playing through my head at that very moment. "You stepped in our _varrio_, this is our hood- D Town on mine, _Cliqua Tres estupida puta_!"

My hands were shaking at that point, so uncontrollably that I had to ball them into fists at my sides; the disgusting, maniacal look that was in his eyes tore at me piece by piece. "Don't you dare call me names in Spanish! Say it in English since you're so fuckin' hood-" I spat at him. It wasn't the smartest way to react, but I refused to let anyone speak to me like that. I didn't care that he was bigger and badder than me, at least in that moment.

Spade was out of her grasp in seconds.

I actually didn't even see it coming- one minute I was standing there talking shit and the next I was on the floor with a sore jaw. I cried out, not thinking about the crowd of people it would pull in. My eyes bulged at the blood on my fingers as I pressed it to my cheek- he hit me so hard it broke skin on impact! "Learn ya place, fat slut." Spade was towering over me, that maniacal look in his eyes ever-present. He spit saliva at me, hitting the other side of my cheek, before turning around and snatching my sister by her waist. He practically dragged her into the house, but she didn't make a big fuss about it like I assumed she would.

"Die slow, bitch- I'll kill you, asshole! I swear to God I'll fuckin' kill you!" I screamed back angrily, scrambling to my feet and rushing in their direction. There are certain moments in your life, moments that haunt you for the rest of your life- moments where you wish beyond hope that a time machine would be invented so that you could go back and change your path of decisions. I was angry and hurt and embarrassed, and all I wanted was to get back at the jackass that made a fool out of me. A red fog, much like the one that took over my body that night at my sister's apartment, infiltrated my line of vision until I could see nothing at all.

There was my trainer-clad feet, the ground that seemed to levitate me towards the barred-up screen door, and the cold wind that slapped against my face as I ran my way there. Nothing tripped me up and no one seemed too big to be able to walk right over- I felt invincible, ultra-human in a sense. High on life or high off adrenaline, I couldn't tell, but all I knew was that Spade's throat was going to get ripped out by my very hands. I slammed open the door, ignoring the bristled faces of the occupants of the dope house- Lizzy often bragged how her boyfriend lived with three other guys in a one bedroom house and sold drugs out of it, earning up to 10,00 dollars on any given day. If I really wanted to be a bitch I could have called 911 or NARC or my own dad, and all of his bullshit would have swarmed in a matter of seconds. But I wasn't a shady bitch, I liked to get my hands dirty and I liked to handle my own business.

People were lounging, some so spun out that they were having conversations with themselves, in the bare living room that had no furnishings lest a small black TV and a tore up couch, and litter all around the tiny house. I pushed my way around the crowd, catching a glimpse of Spade dragging Elizabeth through the back door and most likely towards the garage they converted into a 'office'. I called it a crack house, but Lizzy hated my view of it. I told her that was where demons were born, right back there- so much blow, smack and crack was cut, weighed, sold, and smoked back there that I was sure even the walls had an addiction to it.

Even in my delirious state, I knew my chances of fist fighting with Spade were none to none- he was faster, stronger, bigger, and had a lot more friends around than I did. Actually, I didn't have anyone. I didn't pay mind to it and instead snuck my way into the one and only bedroom. It was a colossal mess, even worse than my own, but I sifted my way around strewn dirty clothes and the smell of weed and old pizza until I made it to the queen sized bed against the wall. A loud clacking noise sounded outside of the door, making tears well up in my eyes and my body go completely still. What could I possibly say if I got caught?

Throwing all caution to the wind, I ripped the blankets off of the bed and started to dig my way underneath the mattress- my fingers fondled their way around until they finally touched something hard and cold. I yanked it from the confines of the dirty mattress and brought to my chest- it was bright and shiny, as though it were meant to be a souvenir rather than a killing machine. But I wasted no time in shoving it into my jeans and rushing past all of the hood rats chicks and homies in my way; the door to Detroit's little Crack Haven was unlocked as I pushed myself through. I was instantly met with three different pairs of eyes, only one belonging to Spade. Liz wasn't anywhere in sight, and that made me nervous. "Where's Lizzy?" I asked angrily.

"Dipped out." Spade shrugged nonchalantly. "Prob didn't wanna be seen same place her lame ass sister is. Didn't I teach you a lesson, _skonka_?" I didn't reply with words, instead I brought out the beautiful little gun I found just earlier. I pointed it right at him, leaving no room for error as I backed myself against the door. The two others, near faceless and nameless to me, held their hands up in surrender and backed away from Spade in an instant. These guys were hood and all, but they knew when it wasn't their battle. "Where the fuck did you get that? That's my fuckin' _cuete_!"

"Don't move!" I screamed like a maniac and he stilled. "If you ever hit me again, I swear I'll kill you." My voice was shaky and ranging from all sorts of octaves, but the message was clear. Bella had a gun and she wasn't playing. "I don't give a damn about Lizzy's feelings for you, I will _kill _you. With your own cuete." I mocked his Spanish.

Spade was breathing heavily, sweat pouring down his face and the one light bulb that hung from the ceiling was swinging back and forth- it was like something out of a scary movie. I was a single white female with no allies and one tiny gun, but those facts were irrelevant. No man would _ever _lay a finger on me and get away with it. "You're a dead bitch, Bella Swan." I swallowed nosily. This man knew everything about me- where I lived, where I went to school, my full name, everything! "I got _vatos _and niggas all over D Town, you're fuckin' dead the next time I see you."

I gulped nervously before raising the gun higher, pointing right at his forehead. "Not gonna be a next time." To this day, I still wasn't sure what my threat was about. Did I mean that I wanted to kill him, or did I mean that I wanted him gone from Lizzy's life? "My dad's gun is four times bigger, and he's a dead aim." I threatened lightly, not wanting to bring my dad into this but having no choice. Charles Swan was the Cullen family's Kryptonite- they didn't get themselves involved with father cops or the law any more than they absolutely had to. "You come for me, he comes for you. And everything else." I gestured to the dope sitting around, and even the customers he currently had high off their asses in the house.

As tough as these _vatos _acted, none of them _wanted _to go to prison or end up dead. And they certainly didn't want to lose the biggest money-making method around. Spade worked his jaw for a few deadly silent seconds, obviously going over different solutions in his head; I didn't have to wait long for his train of thought, he folded his arms and tilted his head before speaking. "Next time you step on _Tres Cliqua _territory, you're dead- no questions, no nothing. Imma pump you full of bullets myself, _perra_." And with that, he snatched the gun from my hands and thrust me out of the tiny shack. I remembered running all the home that night, not caring what my sister ended up doing- her boyfriend wanted me dead and she didn't even let it faze her!

That was the last time we ever saw each other face to face and the very last party I ever went to on Tres Cliqua territory. Ever. And I promised myself that the next time I saw him, I would make sure to slice his throat before he even had the chance to aim his nine at me.

**A/N: **

**EXTRA BIG chapter because I won't be updating for three-four weeks.**

**I thought you guys would enjoy getting some extensive background between the Bella-Spade (Erick) hatred and a little more insight on Lizzy's blindly wicked ways. Goes back to present time next chapter. **

**Sorry to my beloved reviewers/followers/fans but a family member's baby is due any day now and I'm currently focusing all of my time and energy on that right now!**


	9. Life According To Bella

**A/N: don't forget to look up "Miss Nae Malfoy" (my main profile) and 'like' it! Also, your reviews are golden to me!**

"…I told Fischer I was going to need a twelve day extension for the Harlin-Vasquez appeal, but do you think he listened? You know it just ticks me off when… Bella? Are you listening?" I snapped out of my daydream and blinked rapidly, trying hard to dispel my mind of its far-off gander. What were we talking about again? "You were in outer space for a minute there." Michael chuckled lightly, squeezing my hand inside of his pointedly.

I sent an apologetic smile in return. "Yeah but you know how my days are lately… work, shower, a movie with Lana and then bed. Nothing really in between." And for the most part, that was true. It wasn't a real lie if it was by pure omission, was it? Technically I wasn't doing any harm in not mentioning the fact that I was spending every waking second in that house with Lana and her uncle. "You were saying?" I referred back to the oh-so-enthralling topic he was fond of bringing up when he thought I was particularly proud of him. I knew for awhile his occupation and high pay grade, but I could never pinpoint the exact reason why he felt the need to remind me of the fact every other date night.

Michael watched me as I carefully slid my hand out of his and poked at my garden salad across from him. His beady brown eyes followed me as I performed every motion, which was somewhat altered from its original state seeing as he was basically eyeballing my every move. "How's Lana dealing with the change?"

"Lana?" I spluttered, not expecting to hear him say her name. He never particularly cared for Lana or her whereabouts, seeing as I specially asked him to keep her out of our conversations. She was off-limits, he knew that.

"Lana, your niece?" He joked. "Geez, Bella, you really are out of it today."

I feigned another smile for him and took a swallow of my ice water. "No, I know that! Um… well, she's doing okay. I actually think she really likes it where we're at now." I tried to keep the gushiness out of my tone of voice, but judging by the way he was smiling over at me he caught it instantly. "And I'm doing fine, so everybody's just fine, ya know."

Michael nodded slowly, a contemplative look on his face. "Sure, sure- that's what I wanted to hear." The back of my neck suddenly felt very hot, like a shockwave of nervousness had just entered my skin via the air around me. He would do best to just drop the subject and ask no more questions- if he knew what was best for him, and best for us, he would just let this one die out. He grabbed my hand once more, this time holding it over the table. "Will you invite me over sometime?"

My first reaction was to snatch my hand out of his and run out of that restaurant, but I thought better of it and kept my ground, offering only a polite smile in return. "Yeah I'll think about it." At my vague emission, he reached over the small space between us and kissed my lips. It felt uncomfortable, as though I were kissing my cousin- why did it suddenly feel so disgusting to be affectionate with him? My phone sounded off somewhere deep in my purse, granting me the Hail Mary excuse I needed to unlatch myself from him. I shot back against the leather upholstery of my booth seat and answered it on the third ring, breathless and desperate. "Hello?"

"How's my fine ass _bonita_ doin' on such a nice day?" I tried to keep a straight face for the pensive (and maybe a little bit too nosy) man sitting across from me, waiting for my phone call to end.

"I'm doing good, and yourself?" My tone was crisp and clean, not as angry as it truly was. I didn't even let him reply. "Look, I'm with someone right now- do you mind calling me back at a later time? Thank you." I hung up the call as quick as any paranoid woman could, causing Mike's usually lame interest to be peaked.

"Someone important?" The way he said it, almost as if he knew it was Edward I was talking to. I didn't answer him, I merely shoveled my food into my mouth and dodged anymore questions he sent my way. What started off as an innocent enough meal took a left for the worse after that- everything seemed to be weird and forced, especially his hug and kiss at my departure.

I got home not an hour later, exhausted from hearing Mike's rather pointless rants and raves since that morning- but when Lana came running at me for a hug the rest of the world seemed to be irrelevant. "Work good, Aunnie?"

I laughed at her attempt to initiate the conversation of something so grown up as work and gave her a small squeeze. "I had a wonderful day, Miss Lana." I kissed all over her cheeks and forehead, wishing in vain that I could spend all day with her like this. "How was your day? Did you have fun with Uncle?" It felt weirdly… _comfortable_ to play house with her like this, as though her uncle and I got along swimmingly and we had a happy little family.

Lana nodded eagerly. "We went McDonald's and play dollies and-" I almost smirked at 'we play dollies', seeing as the mental images of Edward touching a child's doll were to die for, but he ruined that for me.

"We waited for Aunnie," Lana's pet name rolled right off his tongue, "and then bought her costume." He sounded like he was smirking, but he was standing right behind me and staying elusive. I wanted to elbow him in his gut for three reasons- one, he used Lana in one of his many ploys to annoy me, saying that they "were waiting for Aunnie"; he knew I was working! And I had told him about lunch with a friend, even if I led him to believe my companion was a woman, he still had no right to use it! Secondly, why was he the lucky one that got to spend the day with her? Why couldn't I be a successful drug and arms dealer and meet my "clients" any time of the fuckin' day I wanted? Thirdly, _what_ costume?

"Costume?" I raised an eyebrow at Lana, not wanting to give Edward the satisfaction of seeing me squirm; part of me wanted to apologize for blowing him off earlier, part of me wanted to live in my unrealistic la la land where we could live as blissful strangers in the same home with Lana.

Lana nodded happily, a wicked gleam in her hazel eyes. "I love it, Aunnie! Can you guess?" I contained an eye roll- every themed party and Halloween before, she was the same thing. A princess bride, princess fairy, princess Barbie, princess rock star… I didn't know how she could possibly swing another version of a princess.

"Hmm… I have no clue!" I tickled her sides mercilessly, over joyous that she was in my arms and I had no work until Monday. I had an entire weekend to just spend with her and her alone.

"I'll be back!" She scrambled away, after her giggles died down, leaving her aunt and uncle in a tense silence. Disregarding our personal issues, I was slightly ticked off that he went and bought her something as important as a Halloween outfit without consulting with me. Didn't he consider what my opinion would have been? He knew I treasured every waking memory with Lana, costume shopping was no expectation!

"You should have given me a heads up." I barked out, sounding much meaner than I meant to. I moved past him to the kitchen and began fixing myself a pastrami sandwich, considering what to do for dinner. I didn't want to feed Lana more fast food but I definitely didn't want to cook here and constantly be in his presence.

Edward slammed his hands against the marble counter top, somewhere to the left of me out of my immediate line of vision. "I'm not your bitch, I don't gotta run shit by you." I grimaced at his rude, erratic behavior but tried my best to let fall away like water off a duck's back. "I bought it with my own fuckin' coin, so cut out this shit you're trynna play." My eyeballs burned in embarrassment at the way he was talking to me- who was I dealing with, Dr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde? He was the doting uncle in front of Lana and a completely different asshole version of himself in private with me.

But being the resilient woman I was, I refused to give him the pleasure of blowing up- I turned back to the fridge and put the condiments away and grabbed a can soda. "Nothin' to say? You act like a fuckin' dictionary any other time." Still I stayed silent and ate my sandwich, waiting for Lana to come running down- when she didn't, I walked forward to the stairs but he caught me by my arm. We faced each other for the first time that day, his eyes locking into my own. "Busy with _sancho_ today?" I slapped his hand away with that insult, even if it was technically true. Mike wasn't my _sancho_, but I did find myself busy with his pointless conversations all afternoon. Unlike Edward and I, Michael was in a real relationship with me.

"Let go of me."I replied coldly.

"No."

"You're such a kid, you know that?" I grumbled nastily before wrenching my arm away and storming up the stairs, taking them two at a time. Who the hell did he think he was? I didn't run my schedule according to his, and I sure as hell didn't stop my personal life to satisfy his selfish desires.

"You bitchy 'cause I can get my niece what she wants and you cant?" His question stopped me dead in my tracks- I couldn't move or speak; I just stood there on the landing of the first set of stairs, contemplating my next move. Fly down the stairs and beat him with my purse? Rampage through his house and break all of his shit? I took a deep breath and thought otherwise- what good would that do? It wouldn't take the words away, or the pain. Is that how he really saw me, some poor little charity case that couldn't provide for her very flesh and blood? Everything else, all the sweet reassuring things he had ever said to me, flew straight out of the window. I was not a beggar nor did I ever in my life need a man- if he needed me to prove that to him, I sure as hell would.

"How dare you!" I gritted out but said nothing else; no name calling or throwing things, and I made no excuses for my lack of funds or his excess thereof. Those three words, which seemed to effectively shut him up, was all I could come up with.

"Ta-Da!" Lana belted out as she appeared before both of us, looking so damn proud of her choice of costume.

"That's…" I cleared my throat, making the happy-go-lucky Bella force her way through, "that's a really nice costume, Lana. Good choice." I rushed forward and kissed her cheeks, careful not to wrinkle or dirty her… _wonderful_ costume."Wanna get changed into that pretty blue dress I bought you last weekend? Aunnie wants to have dinner with you tonight." I kept a cheery smile for her, but I wasn't paying any attention to her peculiar wear- I was too busy dodging glaring daggers from him.

Lana looked up at me expectantly. "Will Uncle come too?"

I shook my head swiftly, trying to kill that particular high hope she had of that happening anytime soon. "You know how just you and Uncle went to McDonald's today?" She nodded in a surly manner, most likely knowing where my direction of an answer was going. "Well, we're gonna do the same thing, but somewhere a little nicer." I tossed the sideways comment for his sake and his distant scoff reassured me that he heard. "Now go get dressed, Aunnie's gonna be ready in a few minutes."

She sent one last pleading look before walking away; leaving me in the second most awkward moment with Edward that day- it made me feel overly aware of the ocean of a space between us. If it weren't for Lana we would never have been in the same world, place, house… a fact that oddly made me both sad and mad at the same time. Before I let the sadness show on my face, I walked to my room and slammed me door.

Damn him and the way he made me feel like the most beautiful woman in the world at the very same time he successfully put me down.

**A/N: it's been a long wait, yes I know. I kinda don't care! : ). there's a seven week old in the household and I am too happy to even care about nagging chores. This chapter came to me last week in a dream and I wrote/edited/re-wrote this at that time, then waited a few more days to let the writing settle before updating.**

**Sancho- male version of mistress, someone you cheat with**


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